Larvae to lather: Bug materials startup REPLOID joins surfactants collaboration
In Austria, REPLOID Deutschland GmbH is bringing insects into the quest for greener surfactants. The food-waste valorization company has joined BioSurfZ, a two-year research project developing biobased alternatives to conventional chemical surfactants.
REPLOID will contribute its expertise in using Black Soldier Fly larvae to transform organic residues into valuable resources, helping turn underused waste streams into higher-value products.
BioSurfZ aims to advance a biotechnological production process from the laboratory to pilot scale while adapting it to use regional side streams and residual materials as feedstocks.
The consortium also includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, which coordinates the project, and Leipzig-based ALTATEC GmbH.
“BioSurfZ shows just how much potential is hidden in residual materials when you pursue new solutions with the right partners,” Moritz Gold, REPLOID’s director of R&D and IP, said in a press statement. “Together with Fraunhofer IGB, ALTATEC, and our other partners, we are laying the groundwork for an entirely new market for biosurfactants, built on a regional circular economy.”
Category: Chemicals & Materials
