Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the materials sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, you will discover 5 promising industrial hemp startups.
Heat Map: 5 Top Industrial Hemp Startups
Using our StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 1.379.000+ startups & scaleups globally, we looked at innovation in the field of materials. For this research, we identified 149 relevant solutions and picked 5 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 startups & scaleups developing industrial hemp-based solutions. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 149 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Hempitecture – Sustainable Building Material
As the population of the world increases, there is increasing pressure on the building and construction industry to accommodate this rise. The use of traditional materials for construction is harmful to the environment as they enable an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Innovative smart materials allow startups to develop alternative and environmental-friendly materials, such as hemp-based insulators and building blocks, for the construction industry.
The US-based startup Hempitecture produces hemp-based materials for the building and construction sector. Hempcrete is a plant-based material that uses a specifically formulated mineral-based binder to bond the hemp core. This biocomposite is capable of spray as well as cast-in-place application. The process of manufacturing Hempcrete enables carbon sequestering and reduces the carbon footprint of the industry.
SeFF Fibre – Sustainable Hemp Fibers
Cotton as a textile is natural, biodegradable, and makes fabric soft, breathable, and lightweight. However, growing cotton is not very environmentally-friendly as it requires a significant amount of water. Hemp, on the other hand, consumes comparatively lesser water for cultivation. Hemp textiles exhibit high tensile strength and protect users from ultraviolet radiation. Further, hemp is antimicrobial and requires lesser land to cultivate.
British startup SeFF Fibre processes hemp fibers into weavable and spinnable textiles. The startup uses patented high voltage pulsed electrical discharge technology to untangle the tough and bundled hemp fibers. This breakdown of the coarse and bundled hemp results in individual fibers that are finer and softer.
Hemp Corp – Hemp-Based Derivatives
Every part of the hemp plant is usable, across a wide range of industries including textiles, healthcare, agriculture, and construction. Hemp seeds enable the production of fuel, its stalk is processed into fiber, the leaves hold medicinal properties, and its roots enrich the soil. This encourages startups to develop innovative solutions to produce various hemp-based products.
The US-based startup Hemp Corp manufactures and processes hemp-derived products. The startup’s product portfolio comprises cannabidiol (CBD) derivatives such as CBD crude oil, CBD distillate, and CBD isolates. Similar to petrochemical processing, unprocessed hemp material is later processed with ethanol or carbon dioxide. As a result, the startup provides tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)- free broad spectrum distillate with significantly higher concentrations of CBD.
Secret Trees – Sustainable Hemp Supply Chain
Many countries are legalizing the use of recreational marijuana and this has resulted in an increase in the demand for CBD and THC. This demand is consequently met with an increase in the number of farmers cultivating industrial hemp. AgriTech advancements enable startups to develop innovative solutions to optimize the industrial hemp supply chain and increase profitability.
Latvian startup Secret Trees delivers effective hemp-based environmental impact projects. The startup produces and processes industrial hemp into environmental-friendly products and facilitates a global marketplace with its Secret Trees Platform. This platform enables producers, processors, and retailers of hemp to access and manage the supply and demand of industrial hemp.
9Fiber – Cannabis Waste Management
Hemp generates a significant amount of cannabis waste that is easily converted into useful products. Energy technologies enable the conversion of cannabis waste into a combustible fuel source. Fermenting cannabis waste also converts it into nutrient-rich fertilizer. Startups work on finding solutions to sustainably manage the waste generated from processing hemp.
The US-based startup 9Fiber converts cannabis waste into a fiber using its patented two-step process. The startup decorticates and decontaminates the hemp waste and removes heavy metals, pesticides, THC or CBD, and lignin from it. The startup later creates durable and soft textiles without any gum and also whitens the fibrous raw material.
What About The Other 144 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence so you can achieve your goals faster. The 5 industrial hemp startups showcased above are promising examples out of 149 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
