In Ohio, Locus Fermentation Solutions has closed an oversubscribed, $20-million investment in a convertible note round at an equity valuation of $100 million. The capital will be used to expand the company’s domestic biomanufacturing capacity, accelerate commercial activities and product development across four strategic sectors: oil & gas, mining, agriculture, and industrial/consumer profit goods formulations. […]
In South Africa, Esse Skincare, a leader in skincare products focused on the microbiome, has signed a deal to purchase biobased propionic acid from France’s Afyren. Propionic acid is a naturally occurring short chain fatty acid essential for maintaining a balanced skin microbiome. Emerging research suggests it helps modulate inflammation, support barrier resilience, and maintain […]
In Brazil, leading specialty chemicals company Nouryon has broken ground on a new customer experience and innovation center in Brazil for its home and personal care business. The Itupeva facility will help Nouryon work with customers to formulate more effective and sustainable cleaning and personal care products, including fully biobased chelates for cleaning applications and […]
In Finland, UPM has introduced the world’s first biobased, near-infrared detectable, carbon-negative black pigment. Dubbed UPM Circular Renewable Black, the pigment will enable premium packaging solutions that “combine design excellence with full recyclability and a strong sustainability performance.” For years, black packaging has been associated with recycling challenges as the conventionally used pigments are made […]
In France, Michelin, IFPEN, and Axens have announced that they have progressed their BioButterfy R&D project for scaling the production of butadiene from biobased ethanol. The industrial demonstrator launched in July 2023 in Bassens and “confirmed the robustness of the process using both first and second-generation bioethanol,” the companies said in a press statement. The […]
In Chicago, cultivated meat startup Believer Meats has wound down operations. According to vegconomist, the news was announced in a LinkedIn post authored by Anne Schubert, Global Vice President of Talent & Human Resources at Believer Meats. No reason was given, although AgFunder recently published news that the company that built its US facility was […]
In Malaysia, The Malaysian Reserve reported that Sumisaujana Group Bhd’s wholly owned unit SumiSaujana TCM Chemicals Sdn Bhd (SSTCM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China’s Zangjiagang CoolisT Life Technology Co Ltd (CoolisT Group) to jointly develop and commercialize bio-based polyols from renewable vegetable oils. These polyols will be used in polyurethane foams […]
In Switzerland, scientists at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have converted shellfish shells into claws that grip, not unlike the prize-filled claw machines found in arcades. The team found that the combination of strength and flexibility seen in the shells of langoustines makes them a sustainable alternative to metal claws. They added an elastic material […]
In Australia, design studios Heliograf and Vert Design have jointly developed a biodegradable alternative to whimsical—but polluting—plastic fish-shaped soy sauce containers often seen with to-go sushi. Dubbed Holy Carp!, the new soy sauce packets loosely resemble their playful predecessor, but are made from compostable bagasse pulp. The joint project follows an earlier lamp design where […]
In California, a University of San Diego graduate student has won a $15,000 scholarship to advance her pineapple leaf hair ties. Sage Dobby, who cofounded Piña Designs based on the idea, won the award after pitching the biodegradable solution to USD’s 7th Annual Fowler Business Concept Challenge. “We wanted to create a product that helped […]
