Wood for Musical Instruments: Award-Winning Sustainable Technologies.
Swiss Wood Solutions develops sustainable wood-based technologies. Sonowood is one of them: resource-conserving wood for musical instrument making, designed as an alternative to endangered tropical timbers. Our work has been recognized with an array of awards and funding programs, which acknowledge and reinforce our innovative approach within the musical instrument making industry and other sectors.
The awards and funding we’ve received reflect our dedication to the environment, society, the world of music and other industries. They encourage us to continue wholeheartedly promoting innovative, resource-conserving solutions.
VSA Awards: Awards for artisanship in violin making with Sonowood
The Violin Society of America VSA honored two violin making teams for two string quartets using Sonowood fittings at its 2022 Violin Making Competition.
Top 100 Swiss Startups
A year after it was founded, Swiss Wood Solutions ranked fifth in the “Newcomers” category at the TOP 100 Swiss Startups 2017 and placed 58th overall.
Falling Walls Lab Award Winner
In 2017, Swiss Wood Solutions won the Swiss Falling Walls Lab for young researchers and innovators for its technology to replace tropical timber.
Horizon 2020: EU Funding Program for Densified Wood Technology
The European Union supported our TEEWood (Technologically Enhanced European Wood) project for densified wood technology for a period of two years through its Horizon 2020 research funding program, awarding an amount of EUR 1.5 million. The aim of the project was to provide industries that depend on tropical timber, such as the musical instrument industry, alternative materials from sustainably managed European forests.
Eurostars: European Commission EUREKA Funding Program for RETWood
Eurostars supports R&D-focused SMEs with international innovation projects. Between 2019 and 2022, Swiss Wood Solutions received funding for the RETWood (Replacing Endangered Tropical Woods) project. The aim of the project, carried out in cooperation with our French partner Bois d'Harmonie, was to develop automated machining technology that would enable shaped Sonowood pieces for musical instrumentsto be manufactured more efficiently.
Innosuisse: Deep Learning Impulse Project
The aim of the Deep Learning impulse project that Swiss Wood Solutions carried out in collaboration with EMPA in 2019–2020 was to develop and implement a machine learning algorithm (MLA). The algorithm records and analyzes raw material and process parameters, allowing real-time predictions of product quality. The Swiss innovation promotion agency Innosuisse supported the project with funding.
Gebert Rüf Stiftung: Funding for Sonowood
The foundation known as Gebert Rüf Stiftung supported two Swiss Ebony projects at Swiss Wood Solutions. The aim of these projects was to achieve the dimensional stability of natural ebony with densified local woods and to adapt the density and color to customer requirements, allowing the local wood to be used in musical instrument making in place of tropical timber from endangered rainforests.
Sonowood is synonymous with exceptional hardness and density - the perfect prerequisites for acoustic and electric guitars that have to meet the highest tonal requirements.
