Title of "Most Innovative Entrepreneur of 2016"

Lars Rominger a graduate chemist from Edlibach, has been elected “the most innovative entrepreneur of 2016” by the Idée Suisse organisation.
 
Items Rominger has invented include software for the purpose of identifying synthetic materials, a compostable plastic bag, a method of maturing wine within an hour rather than waiting months or years, a dating app, and even a bra made of high-tech synthetic fibres. At present, the 50-year-old is working on a disinfectant which can be seen on surfaces.
 
“It is all to do with plastics technology*,” he explained. Indeed, Kunststofftechnik* GmbH is the name of the company he runs in Edlibach. As he explained to a journalist of the Zuger Zeitung, “I Iook at the make-up of the substances involved, and, with a project in mind, then develop a product, item of equipment or programme, enabling it to be achieved in a relatively simple way. It is not that I really invent anything,” he said modestly; “It is more that I work with things which are already there.” It is when conversation turns to molecules and how these might be reconfigured differently that it all gets rather complicated for lay people.
 
As he went on to explain in his humorous way, Rominger mentioned that he has the support of a number of nerds in his specialist team at his company, there to provide just the sort of expert advice he needs. It is when he and his team get close to realising that they are on the verge of some new invention, that he finds it hard to switch off.
 
He readily admits to being a bit of a Daniel Düsentrieb, (the German name given to Gyro Gearloose, a fictional comic character invented by Carl Barks for the Walt Disney Corporation), i.e. a nerd himself. The inventor also admitted to spending much time finding out about things alone as a child, and not interacting so much with others so much. “We all grow up differently, don’t we? We have all had different experiences and we can learn a lot from each other, can’t we?” he said. Not that he is alone so much these days, either at work, or at home in Edlibach with his wife and three daughters. It will not be surprising to learn that Rominger was a great fan of Star Wars and Star Trek, too. He himself has always been someone who likes to think beyond boundaries and such science fiction films inspired him to do this.
 
While it is true we can all learn from each other, many, too, can learn from Rominger. Indeed, he is a teacher at a number of educational institutions, though only in the evenings and weekends, as he is fully occupied during the week with his job at the Gerresheimer Küssnacht AG company, a leading supplier to the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, or involved on projects with his own company.
 
Naturally Rominger, incidentally the brother of cyclist professional Tony Rominger, was delighted to hear he had been voted most innovative entrepreneur of the year. The award is to be presented to him in Menzingen on Tuesday 15 November.