From Lab to Market: Award-Winning Fuel Cell Catalyst Innovation Drives Green Energy

The Puh Award 2024 for outstanding achievements in scientific research and development was awarded to the research team consisting of Dr. Matija Gatalo, Associate Professor Dr. Nejc Hodnik, Dr. Marjan Bele, and Professor Dr. Miran Gaberšček, who developed an innovative method for preparing catalysts for fuel cells. This represents a significant contribution to the development of sustainable energy solutions directly addressing the global challenges of decarbonization.

The team’s work has substantially improved the production of catalysts, which are a key component of hydrogen fuel cells. Their method reduces the use of rare and expensive platinum without sacrificing efficiency. The result is a technology that greatly lowers production costs and expands the possibilities for commercial use of fuel cells — both in transportation and in the broader energy system.

Beyond scientific excellence, their work also led to the founding of the successful high-tech company ReCatalyst, one of the most prominent examples of knowledge transfer into practice in Slovenia. The company, which has already secured strategic partners in international markets, proves that top-tier research by Slovenian scientists can grow into globally relevant innovations.

The Puh Award confirms the importance of long-term investment in research and interdisciplinary collaboration, enabling breakthrough discoveries. The innovation by the team of Gatalo, Hodnik, Bele, and Gaberšček is not only a major technological achievement but also a vital contribution to the green transition and the development of the hydrogen economy of the future.