Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups in the packaging industry. 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, we are taking a look at 5 promising packaging materials solutions.
Heat Map: 5 Top Packaging Material Startups
For our 5 picks of packaging material startups, we used a data-driven startup scouting approach to identify the most relevant solutions globally. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 interesting examples out of 700 relevant solutions. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.
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Bio-lutions – Packaging From Agricultural Waste
This technology tackles two kinds of waste at the same time – agricultural and plastic waste. Currently, the burning of swathes of agricultural fields is a leading cause of air pollution. This technology provides farmers with a profitable way of disposing agricultural waste and diversifying their income. German startup Bio-lutions works in the field of biomaterials and creates biodegradable materials and products. The biomaterials made from natural agricultural excess, paired with innovative production processes, make sustainable packaging and disposable tableware affordable for businesses.
Delphis Eco – Packaging From Marine Waste
A report from the World Economic Forum warned that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by weight. Right now, oceans contain more than five trillion pieces of plastic. Producing packaging materials from marine waste decreases the amount of newly-made plastics materials, reduces current pollution and makes oceans cleaner and healthier. UK-based Delphis Eco develops a 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic bottle for packaging eco-friendly cleaning chemicals. The new plastic packaging is formed from recycled milk bottles (100% recycled HDPE plastic), giving a second life to single-use plastics.
Superseven – Packaging From Cellulose
In order to reduce the amounts of plastic waste ending up in the oceans and landfills, it is important to replace plastics in as many applications as possible. Cellulose is biodegradable and a good choice for raw material to replace plastic film and insulating foam used for packaging. German startup Superseven creates packaging solutions consisting of cellulose which come with similar features as plastics but are 100% biodegradable within 42 days.
Mobius – Packaging From Bioplastics
Bioplastics made from sustainable sources naturally break down much faster than traditional plastics. Bioplastics such as PHA (PolyhydroxyAlkanoate) or PLA (Polylactic Acid) are biodegradable, equally strong and versatile as traditional plastics, and they are already used in sectors such as agriculture, textiles, medicine, and particularly in wrappings and packaging. US startup Mobius is focused on eliminating waste by leveraging industrial organic waste streams from agriculture, forestry, paper, and biofuel & biorefining industries to create new materials and chemicals. The company’s first product is a proprietary, biodegradable polymer made from lignin, a natural material found in all grasses and trees. With this biopolymer, Mobius is creating bio-based, biodegradable plastic pellets for applications in food service packaging, horticulture, agriculture and beyond.
Packtin – Packaging From Food Waste And By-Products
Using innovative technology and plant-based materials, organizations have developed numerous packaging alternatives that are safe for human consumption. One of the goals is the revaluation of food waste and by-products as well as their conversion into innovative and environmentally friendly packaging, that protects fresh food from mold and bacteria and slows down ripening. Italy-based Packtin is a spin-off project of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, presents biodegradable edible films and covers that protect food naturally, extend optimal shelf-life, reduce food waste and food poisoning episodes. Packtin recovers are made from food industries by-products, such as orange, apple, pomegranate, and tomato peels, spent sugar beetroots.
What About The Other 695 Packaging Material 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 for your Proof of Concept (PoC), partnership, or investment targets. The 5 packaging material startups showcased above are promising examples out of 700 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria and collaboration strategy, get in touch.
