In Germany, microbial protein producer MicroHarvest has been awarded €5.5 million (US$6.5 million) from the German government. MicroHarvest’s process feeds local agricultural waste to the same bacteria found in kimchi, kefir and sauerkraut to produce proteins that can be used in pet food, human food, and aquaculture. The funds will be used to open a 15,000 […]
In Portugal, designer Adonis Evangelista has unveiled Biodegradable Pots, a material‑research initiative demonstrating how organic waste can be transformed into renewable planting containers to reduce the horticulture industry’s dependence on single use plastics. Evangelista sourced organic waste from three major streams: natural fibers and plant residues from floriculture operations, eggshells and other food scraps from […]
In Singapore, N&E Innovations has developed an edible antimicrobial coating that extends the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and meats and reduces spoilage along the produce supply chain. Dubbed ViKANG, the coating is made from agricultural wastes like cashew nut seeds. It can replace toxic coatings like chlorine, sulfur, or wax that have to be […]
In Kansas, Invista and Epoch Biodesign have partnered to co-develop post-consumer recycled nylon 6,6. The deal leverages Epoch’s AI-engineered recycling enzymes and Invista’s polymerization know-how. Nylon 6,6 has numerous applications in apparel, automotive, and industrial applications, but few recycling options exist at scale “Invista is committed to exploring innovative technologies that can improve the sustainability […]
In New Orleans, Louisiana State University Associate Professor Naohiro Kato has created an updated version of his biobased Mardis Gras beads that contain okra seeds. Many of the 1,500, 3-D printed necklaces Kato’s team produced will be thrown during the 2026 Freret and Tucks parades in New Orleans and the Artemis parade in Baton Rouge. […]
In India, e-commerce giant Amazon has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in a 15-month pilot project to convert agricultural waste into biodegradable paper mailers. The project will use crop waste like wheat straw and sugarcane residue. Amazon hopes to advance from pilot to validation by the end of next year. “At Amazon, […]
In Tokyo, Sony Corporation is leading a large consortium of materials manufacturers to create a supply chain for biobased plastics that can be used in Sony’s audio-visual products. Electronics rely on a mix of different plastics, which creates a tangled supply chain that’s hard to track from raw material to finished product. On top of […]
In India, prominent industrialists Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla of the Poonawalla Group have made an unspecified investment in biodegradable bag maker Regeno Ventures Pvt Ltd. Based in Coimbatore, Regeno produces 100% biodegradable carry, garbage, and garment bags using materials comprised mostly of tapioca, along with other vegetable starches and natural extracts. “Regeno represents a strategic […]
In Colorado, mycelium-based leather alternative maker MycoWorks has been acquired by private equity firm DFX Corp. DFX aims to restructure the company to expand commercial sales of MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium technology, which it says is valued at about $300 million. “In partnership with our new private equity partner, DFX Corporation, MycoWorks is undergoing a necessary […]
In Michigan, biopolymer firm Ecovia Bio has closed a Series B funding round led by Pointe Angels, an independent angel investor group based in the Grosse Pointe communities east of Detroit, Michigan. The unspecified funding will support significant expansion of manufacturing capacity at Ecovia Bio’s Livonia facility to meet growing global demand for its AzuraBase […]
