2026 Hermes Business Award: OVUM Wins in the Innovation Category.
At the gala held at the Hofburg in Vienna on November 6, 2026, our CUBIC project was awarded the Special Prize for Innovation.
OVUM won the Special Innovation Award at the 2026 KURIER Hermes Business Awards. The award recognized CUBIC, our stackable Brine Heat Pump that uses R290 (propane) as a refrigerant. Peter Krimbacher and Martin Fischbacher accepted the award on stage.
Winner in the Innovation Category
On November 6, 2026, the KURIER hosted the Hermes Business Gala at the Hofburg in Vienna. According to Leadersnet, approximately 500 guests from the worlds of business, politics, and academia attended. In addition to seven main categories, two special awards were presented: Innovation and Climate Protection.
OVUM Heiztechnik GmbH received the Special Prize for Innovation for the CUBIC project. Our two managing directors accepted the award on stage: Peter Krimbacher, founder and managing director, and Martin Fischbacher, managing director. The certificate reads “Winner of the KURIER Hermes Innovation Prize 2026.”
What CUBIC Is All About
On stage, Peter Krimbacher summarized what the award represents:
“[…] with our innovation, it’s possible to use this refrigerant—from a small single-family home of 100 square meters to a large building of up to 500 square meters—without safety requirements or special precautions […] and that’s actually the major innovation.”
Peter Krimbacher, founder and CEO of OVUM, in an on-stage interview
The refrigerant in question is R290 (propane). It is flammable, which is why the permissible fill quantity is limited when installed inside a building. The CUBIC system distributes the technology across stackable modules, each containing 150 g of R290. Heat Pump, hydraulic, and cooling modules are stacked on top of one another to form a heating system with a power range from 7 to 54 kW.
OVUM has already granted a license for the CUBIC to M-Tec GmbH.
How the Hermes Business Award Is Presented
The Hermes Business Award was founded in 2015 by Gerhard Schlögel. In 2026, the gala was organized for the first time by KURIER, which had taken over the brand. According to Leadersnet, 116 companies submitted applications.
In the seven main categories—such as industry, retail, and family-owned businesses—evaluations are based on a standardized system of key performance indicators: revenue, operating profit, and headcount over the past three years. In contrast, the special awards for innovation and climate protection focus on specific projects. According to the report, the Innovation Award recognizes technological developments that offer tangible benefits and can be implemented in practice.
Source: Leadersnet, report on the Hermes Business Gala held on November 8, 2026.
The Evening at the Hofburg
Sandra Baierl, head of the KURIER business section, and Daniel Warmuth hosted the evening. Wienerberger received the Special Award for Climate Protection for its “Green Brick Uttendorf” project, and Andreas Klauser, CEO of Palfinger AG, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
Thank you
This award belongs to the entire team in Kirchbichl that develops and builds the CUBIC, as well as to our specialist partners who plan and install the plants. Thanks also to the KURIER and everyone involved for the evening at the Hofburg.
Frequently Asked Questions
The special awards focus on specific projects. According to Leadersnet, the awards recognize technological developments with clear benefits that can be implemented in practice. In 2026, there were 38 project submissions in the categories of innovation and climate protection.
A business award for Austrian companies, founded in 2015 by Gerhard Schlögel. In 2026, it was presented for the first time under the auspices of the KURIER, in seven main categories and with two special awards for innovation and climate protection.
For the CUBIC project, a brine Heat Pump consisting of stackable modules, each containing 150 g of R290 (propane) and with a power range of 7 to 54 kW.