Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the packaging industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked biopolymer packaging solutions.
Out of 324, the Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top Biopolymer Packaging Solutions
The insights of this data-driven analysis are derived from the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 2 093 000+ startups & scaleups globally. The platform gives you an exhaustive overview of emerging technologies & relevant startups within a specific field in just a few clicks.
The Global Startup Heat Map below reveals the distribution of the 324 exemplary startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. Further, it highlights 5 startups that we hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. You get to explore the solutions of these 5 startups & scaleups in this report. For insights on the other 319 biopolymer packaging solutions, get in touch.
Tecoplus converts Agricultural Waste into Bioplastics
Founding Year: 2016
Location: Suwon, South Korea
Partner for Functional Packaging Additives
South Korean startup Tecoplus develops bio-based plastics and functional additives for eco-friendly packaging products. The startup derives bioplastics and additives from waste paper and agricultural wastes. Tecoplus’ proprietary lignin replacement technology substitutes the lignin present in cellulose with sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, and sodium carbonate in its raw materials. This prevents carbonization in the bioplastic form which provides structural stability to the final products. The startup’s additives also improve biodegradability while enhancing the anti-bacterial, anti-caking, and odor-eliminating properties. This allows packaging companies to develop bio-based packaging solutions without sacrificing performance.
Toraphene offers Compostable Plastic Alternatives
Founding Year: 2018
Location: London, UK
Collaborate for Biodegradable Packaging Materials
UK-based startup Toraphene develops a fully compostable and biodegradable alternative for synthetic plastics. The startup obtains natural polymers from starch and algae to create biopolymer pellets. These natural polymers on their own do not provide the strength, heat resistance, and impermeability necessary to replace synthetic plastics for packaging applications. To overcome this, Toraphene uses its proprietary technology to embed graphene platelets into natural polymers. The embedded graphene improves barrier properties and strength without compromising on the eco-friendly nature of the end product. Thanks to the higher strength of Toraphene’s materials, packaging companies are able to make their solutions thinner, lighter, and cheaper.
algotek prepares Algae-based Formulations
Founding Year: 2017
Location: Portland, US
Reach out for Sustainable Plastic Alternatives
algotek is a US-based startup that develops an algae-based alternative to single-use plastics. The startup’s proprietary process collects algae and converts it into a biodegradable plastic material without producing any hazardous byproducts. This material is suitable for a variety of applications from thin foil structures like paper tinsel to durable plastic containers. algotek’s plastic is customizable to allow for various degradation times, from instant degradation in contact with water to long-term durable products. Apart from the biodegradable nature of the material, the ability to cultivate algae anywhere in the world avoids the need for a huge transportation network as compared to petrochemical plastics. This reduces the carbon footprint of the material, providing packaging companies with a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics.
Back to Nature creates Eco-Friendly Food Packaging
Founding Year: 2019
Location: Dubai, UAE
Partner for Compostable Food Packaging
Back to Nature is a UAE-based startup that provides eco-friendly food packaging products. The startup uses a variety of materials from natural sources and agricultural waste streams to create compostable foodservice packaging. These raw materials include bagasse that is suitable for both hot and cold food, corn PLA (polylactic acid) for cold food and drinks as well as wheat straw that is oil-proof and high-temperature resistant. The startup also provides compostable cutlery using birch wood sourced from replanted trees in farmed forests. It offers another bio-based food packaging product with bamboo which contains poly-coating that makes it moisture and grease-resistant, microwavable, sturdy, food-grade, and recyclable. Through this wide variety of biopolymer packaging solutions, Back to Nature enables the widespread switch to sustainable packaging in restaurants, canteens, online food stores, convenience stores, and other food services.
BlockTexx recovers Biopolymers from Textile Waste
Founding Year: 2018
Location: Manly, Australia
Work with BlockTexx for Textile Waste Upcycling
Australian cleantech startup BlockTexx recovers biopolymers from textile and clothing waste to provide them as raw materials for textile, packaging, and building products. The startup’s proprietary technology transforms cloth materials into high-value substances like polyethylene terephthalate (PET ) and cellulose for reuse in new products. BlockTexx’s recovered material thus diverts textile waste from landfills and into biopolymer-based sustainable products. This aids the shift to a circular economy for the textile, packaging, building, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
Discover more Packaging Startups
Packaging startups such as the examples highlighted in this report focus on sustainable materials, bio-based materials, and waste-to-material solutions. While all of these technologies play a major role in advancing the packaging industry, they only represent the tip of the iceberg. To explore more packaging technologies, simply get in touch to let us look into your areas of interest. For a more general overview, you can download our free Packaging Innovation Report to save your time and improve strategic decision-making.
