A young Filipino inventor is making waves in the global innovation scene with a groundbreaking solution that blends sustainability with aerospace technology.
Mark Kennedy Bantugon, an aeronautical engineer from the Philippines, has been named one of the top 10 winners in the European Patent Office’s (EPO) prestigious “Young Inventors Prize” for 2024, held in Iceland. The award celebrates innovators under 30 whose work supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Bantugon’s winning creation is Pili Seal—an eco-friendly, bio-based adhesive and sealant made from the waste resin of the pili tree. Designed for use in aircraft manufacturing and repair, the sealant offers a safer, more sustainable alternative to traditional chemical-based products. It is biodegradable, locally sourced, non-toxic, and significantly more affordable—costing 14 times less than its counterparts.
“My mother, a public-school teacher, helped me understand the value of a strong and well-rounded education,” Bantugon shared in an ABS-CBN News report. “My father, as a farmer, introduced me to the farm as a training ground… and the potential in waste materials.”
After testing six different tree resins, Bantugon found that the pili tree offered the perfect mix of stickiness and fragrance—ideal for adhesives used in confined aircraft spaces. He went through 84 different formulations before perfecting Pili Seal, which he later commercialized through his company Pili AdheSeal Inc., founded in 2024.
The EPO selected Bantugon and nine other young inventors from over 450 entries around the world. Each was awarded €5,000 to support their ventures.
