Biocatalytic Surfactants
Norfalk develops bio-based surfactants via biocatalysis for products from shampoos to detergents. CEO Kasper Falkenberg shares the company’s vision, motivation, and the value of its unique platform.
Start-ups
Turning Waste into Treasure
REEcover recovers rare earths from e‑waste using a patented, efficient, low‑impact process, offering a sustainable alternative to mining and strengthening circular supply chains.
Circular by Design
Seprify, founded by Lukas Schertel and Oliver Polcher, uses cellulose to create sustainable alternatives to TiO₂. The Cambridge spinout’s platform is backed by CTO Wadood Hamad’s expertise.
Affix Labs Raises €1 Million for Distribution Expansion
Dutch green chemtech start-up Affix Labs has raised an investment of €1 million for the European expansion of its sustainable insect repellent.
Ecovon – A More Sustainable Wood Alternative Made from Coconut Husks
Ghanaian start-up Ecovon produces coconut-husk boards as an alternative to MDF (medium-density fibreboard), made without intentionally added toxic chemicals.
Building Independence, One Design at a Time
Inside MakeGood’s Open-Source Assistive Technology Movement
From Coconut Waste to Industrial Spill Control
Aura Verde develops organic, coco‑based oil absorbents that replace mineral products in industrial spill response.
From Emission to Ingredient: Drop‑In CO₂ Chemistry
Viridi turns captured CO₂ into high‑performance ingredients via a drop‑in solid catalyst. It cuts carbon footprint while working seamlessly in existing production lines.
Atomistic AI for Materials Engineering
Entalpic replaces trial‑and‑error materials R&D with a closed‑loop AI platform combining simulation and lab validation.
Zuripacks – Pioneering Sustainable Plant-Based Packaging
Kenyan start-up Zuripacks produces durable yet biodegradable packaging materials from banana pseudostems − an abundant agricultural by-product that is typically discarded.
Cleantech Company Blue Activity Closes €8.5 Million Seed Round
The Cleantech water technology company Blue Activity has completed an €8.5 million seed financing round.
ETB Global – Enabling Bio-Plastic and Bio-Rubber for Life and Industry
Dutch start-up ETB Global has developed a patented one-step catalytic process that converts bioethanol directly into butadiene in a single reactor.
Spark e-Fuels – Reimagining How Aviation is Fuelled
German start-up Spark e-Fuels is helping the aviation industry move toward more sustainable flight by developing a new, energy-efficient and cost-competitive method to produce synthetic aviation fuels.
Palki Motors – Pioneering Electric Mobility in Bangladesh
Palki Motors, a groundbreaking start-up from Bangladesh, is the country’s first manufacturer of affordable electric vehicles.
Bridging the Sim2Real Gap in Materials
Dunia Innovations Merges AI and Robotics to Accelerate Real-World Materials Discovery
KickStart Finals Celebrate Six Outstanding Chemistry Transfer Ideas
Six promising startup teams took the stage at the KickStart finals, impressing the jury and audience with their novel ideas for advancing sustainable chemistry.
Verdisol – Turning Organic Waste into Regenerative Soil Solutions
Verdisol, an emerging start-up in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), converts local organic waste into nanocellulose, providing an innovative soil amendment that elevates agricultural productivity.
Power2Polymers – More Sustainable Polymers for the Chemical Industry
Power2Polymers found a way to create more sustainable and high-performance polymer products for specialty applications, such as lubricants, industrial adhesives, and coatings for various applications.
Climasel – Optimizing Energy Efficiency
The woman-led start-up from Azerbaijan develops and produces energy-efficient indoor panels, which store heat during the day and release it at night.
Turning Water into Fuel
Elementarhy uses a revolutionary plasma technology, positioning it as a leader in supplying cost-efficient and scalable Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) to electrolyzer manufacturers.
Bringing Biocatalytic Processes from Early Idea to Industrial Scale
Aminoverse enables players in the chemical industry to onboard more cost-efficient and sustainable manufacturing by delivering the right enzyme and process.
Bunko Junko – Transforming Fashion, Embracing Sustainability
Bunko Junko is a women-led Indian start-up that transforms industrial fabric scraps – typically considered waste – into unique fashion products such as clothing, decorative items, and gifts.
Beacons of the Start-up Scene, part 5: MIR Insight
Tapping into Future-oriented Synergies of Data Analysis in the Materials Sector
Green Tech Africa – Nature’s Answer to Industrial Waste
The start-up from Congo developed an organic absorbent fibre from a local invasive plant, the water hyacinth, to clean up oil spills.
Industrial Green Chemistry Association Launches
Today, leading chemistry entrepreneurs from across Europe announced the founding of a new Industrial Green Chemistry Association dedicated to represent the interests of chemistry startups and innovation-driven SMEs.
Merck Awards Advance Biotech Prize to Biotech Start-up Neoclease
The award winner will receive access to Merck's technologies and expertise to expand its AI-based genome editing platform.
WE The Recycling Company – Creating a Closed Circuit of Electronic Products
Woman-led, Indian start-up WE The Recycling Company is dedicated to make an impact on the current handling of e-waste in India.
Human Material Loop – Innovating Tomorrow's Textiles
Human Material Loop is transforming human hair into an alternative fibre for the textile industry.
Innovative PLA Catalyst Solution
Enhancing Manufacturing with Faster, Cleaner, High-crystallinity Processes
Functional Ingredients for Every Phase of Life
Primogene is an innovative biotechnology company based in Leipzig that specializes in the development of biotechnological production processes for bioactive ingredients.
AC Biode – Chemical Technology for a more Sustainable Future
AC Biode developed a diverse portfolio of products based on chemical technology designed to provide more sustainable alternatives to conventional practices.
Super Sapiens Europe Selects 9 Deep-Tech Start-ups
Scientifica Venture Capital, in collaboration with the Institut des Relations Economiques France-Italie (IREFI), has unveiled the winners of the Super Sapiens Europe initiative.
Coco Custo – Clean Clothes, Cleaner Ingredients, Clean Sea
The Indian, woman-led startup Coco Custo is pioneering more sustainable cleaning solutions with its biodegradable laundry detergent and other eco-friendly cleaning powders. Formulated primarily from plant-based ingredients and minerals, including organic oils and coconut, Coco Custo’s products are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and free from harmful chemicals.
Sustainable Paper Additives
Paper is a sustainable material by nature. However, many paper products need to be treated with additives such as wet strength agents or sizing agents to improve their properties for certain applications.
