In Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland spinout Elea & Lili has raised €2.5 million (US$2.9 million) to commercialize its cellulose-based alternative for fossil-based superabsorbent polymers. Dubbed Cellulose Super Absorbent, the microplastic-free, biodegradable material is first being applied to disposable diapers and agriculture, end markets that generate large amounts of plastics waste and microplastic […]
In India, Avid Organics is set to launch glycolic acid—one of the most consequential actives in modern skincare for cosmetics market—produced from plant-based feedstocks. Trade named AviGa™ Bio HP70, the 70% cosmetic-grade solution meets the stringent purity requirements for regulated personal care, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. Avid Organics’ manufacturing process also ensures rigorous control of trace […]
In Houston, petrochemicals distributor Premier Product Marketing has signed a 15-year binding offtake agreement for biobased polypropylene manufactured by Citroniq. The deal represents half of the output from Citroniq’s planned facility in Nebraska, which is expected to begin production in 2029. Under the terms of the agreement, Premier Product Marketing will leverage its extensive international […]
In California, Intec Bioplastics has launched a $75-million Regulation A+ offering to expand manufacturing and recovery capacity for sustainable packaging in the US. Capital raised will support the development of ten manufacturing and distribution centers across the United States over the next 48 months to expand production of Intec’s EarthPlus® materials. Intec’s lead product, Hercules BioFlex™ […]
In Switzerland, cellulose biomaterials company Seprify has raised €13.4 million (US$15.8 million) in a Series A funding that included participation from Inter IKEA Group. Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund, and other circular-economy-aligned investors also participated. With the new capital, Seprify will scale commercial production to hundreds of metric tons […]
In South Korea, femtech startup Inertia has begun selling its sanitary napkins, which replace petroleum-based super absorbent polymers with biobased alternatives, in the US market. Dubbed Prism Pads, the absorbent material core is based on cellulose. “Although many products today emphasize natural materials, in reality, most sanitary pads only use organic cotton in the top […]
In Indonesia, researchers at Bina Nusantara University in Jakarta are evaluating materials based on coffee waste that could be used to replace food packaging films. Led by Ata Aditya Wardana at BNU, the team looked at using coffee byproducts such as pulp, husk, silverskin and spent grounds as fillers and bioactives in biobased and edible […]
In Florida, a University of Miami research team has won the top prize at the recent Climate Correction Conference in Orlando for developing an algae‑based concrete additive that reduces the construction industry’s outsized carbon footprint. The team harvested native Florida algae and converted it into biochar, a carbon‑rich, charcoal‑like substance, that Jasmine Rodriguez, a first‑year […]
In Europe, the European Commission has launched a call for interest to join the newly created European Bioeconomy Investment Deployment Group, an initiative designed to accelerate public and private investment in the EU’s expanding bioeconomy sector. Announced on 10 March, the platform aims to close persistent financing gaps and help scale up innovative biobased industries […]
In Germany, the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (Umsicht) has launched HighTech PLA, an effort to replace fossil‑based plastics in the electrical and electronics sector with biobased alternatives such as polylactic acid. While PLA is already used in packaging and consumer goods, adapting it for demanding electrical applications represents a significant leap […]
