Noise pollution is everywhere — and whether it is egg cartons or thick foam, current solutions only go so far. This is where new materials such as SoundBounce come in, with the ability to absorb, dampen, and redirect sound where conventional foams fall short.
Lios Group, the Irish startup behind SoundBounce, was a winner of JEC Composites Startup Booster 2018, and has been making significant strides since taking home the award. Formerly known as Restored Hearing, the company recently secured €6.25 million from the European Innovation Council Accelerator Programme, and is also collaborating with the European Space Agency (ESA)
To understand how Lios is navigating these opportunities, we interviewed Lios co-founder and CEO Rhona Togher. Here’s what she had to say about SoundBounce, the team’s approach to long adoption cycles, and what’s next for this company that’s tackling noise challenges from space to construction sites.
Sesamers: How would you briefly describe what your technology does?
Rhona Togher: SoundBounce is an advanced acoustic material that delivers superior noise reduction, especially at low frequencies where traditional foams and materials struggle. It achieves up to 4× better performance in 4× less space and around 40% lighter weight, giving product designers a way to create quieter, lighter, and more efficient products without compromise.
Sesamers: Can you share a concrete example of how it can be used?
RT: One example is in construction, where ceiling tiles and wall panels are used for noise control in offices, schools, and hospitals. Conventional materials are thick and heavy, limiting design flexibility. SoundBounce can achieve the same or better acoustic performance in a slimmer, lighter profile, enabling architects to design quieter spaces without the cost or bulk of traditional solutions. In aerospace, it can reduce rocket fairing noise, protecting sensitive payloads during launch — a direct application we’ve been developing with ESA.
Sesamers: How did winning the JEC Startup Booster change your business?
RT: Winning JEC Startup Booster gave us credibility and visibility at a global level. It was one of the first times our material was showcased on an international stage, and it opened doors to new markets and collaborations. We were able to connect with customers who were actively searching for disruptive materials solutions and validate that there was real, cross-sector demand for our material.
Sesamers: What are the most significant milestones you’ve hit since winning? Any surprises?
RT: Since JEC, we’ve grown significantly. In 2025, we secured €6.25 million from the EIC Accelerator to scale our pilot manufacturing. We’ve also expanded our pipeline to over 70 companies worldwide, spanning construction, automotive, aerospace, and consumer products. A pleasant surprise has been just how broad the interest is — from rockets to washing machines, the need for better noise reduction is everywhere.
Sesamers: What’s your top priority for 2026?
RT: Our priority for 2026 is to scale up our pilot production and start delivering on large-scale commercial contracts. Once we have the production capacity needed, we’ll begin validating SoundBounce in multiple industry settings, and moving from our limited pilot manufacturing to repeatable, high-volume supply. This is the bridge between being a breakthrough technology and becoming a standard material in global markets.
Sesamers: What’s the one thing you wish you’d known about the composites industry before starting?
RT: That adoption cycles can be longer than you expect. Testing, qualification, and integration all take time. As we learned this, we invested in parallel sector engagement, so that multiple industries could move through their adoption cycles at the same time. The lesson has been to stay patient, keep building strong partnerships, and celebrate incremental progress on the way to big wins.
Note: This article is part of a commercial collaboration between JEC and Sesamers. Our team retained full editorial control over the questions and final content.