Jan Čmelík and the Elmarco team transformed electrospinning from laboratory research into reliable industrial nanofibre production worldwide.

Elmarco is proud to announce that Jan Čmelík and the Elmarco team have been selected as finalists for the European Inventor Award 2026, organised by the European Patent Office (EPO), in recognition of their contribution to industrial nanofibre manufacturing technologies.

The nomination highlights the team’s long‑term work in advancing needle‑free electrospinning and transforming nanofibre production from a laboratory process into a stable and scalable industrial manufacturing technology.

Nanofibres are ultra‑fine polymer fibres with exceptional properties, including a high surface‑area-to‑volume ratio and low weight. These characteristics make them valuable for demanding applications such as high‑efficiency air filtration, healthcare materials, fuel cells, battery separators, liquid filtration systems and waterproof breathable textiles.

While electrospinning has been widely used in research environments for years, scaling the process for industrial production has historically presented significant technical challenges. Traditional needle‑based systems often suffer from clogging, unstable fibre formation and limited productivity.

Elmarco’s Nanospider™ technology introduced a different approach.

Instead of forcing polymer through needles, the system uses a stationary wire electrode coated with a thin polymer layer. Under high voltage, multiple Taylor cones form naturally along the wire, creating stable simultaneous jets that enable continuous production of homogeneous nanofibre layers across industrial‑scale widths of up to two metres.

This breakthrough enabled nanofibre manufacturing to move beyond laboratory limitations and into reliable industrial operation.

“People sometimes think electrospinning is simple because it works in the lab. Scaling it to a stable industrial production process is a very different challenge. It took years of development, iterations and learning,” says Jan Čmelík.

The roots of the technology trace back to 2004, when Professor Oldřich Jirsák and his team at the Technical University of Liberec developed the world’s first needle‑free electrospinning machine. Elmarco licensed the invention and rapidly transformed the concept into an industrial reality, launching its first industrial production line in 2006.

Jan Čmelík joined Elmarco in the same year and has played a key role in the company’s technological development ever since. Over nearly two decades, he has contributed to multiple refinements of Elmarco’s core manufacturing platform and helped establish electrospinning as a viable industrial technology for global applications.

Today, Elmarco technologies are used worldwide across research and industrial environments, with more than 280 machines installed in over 150 countries.

“At Elmarco, we believe innovation only matters when it creates real‑world impact. This nomination reflects not only Jan’s contribution, but also the long‑term commitment of our entire team to advancing industrial nanofibre manufacturing technologies,” said Miloslav Masopust, CEO of Elmarco.

The winners of the European Inventor Award 2026 will be announced during the official ceremony in Berlin on 2 July 2026.

Public voting for the Popular Prize is open from 12 May until 2 July 2026.

Support Jan Čmelík and the Elmarco team in the Popular Prize voting here.