In Germany, specialty chemicals company Evonik has announced a new innovation strategy with renewable chemicals as one of three pillars driving an additional €1.5 billion company sales by 2032. The company pointed to its startup of a biosurfactants plant in Slovakia earlier this year as an example of such activities. The other two pillars are […]
In the UK, packaging consultancy PackHub has added edible forks for packaged noodles, biobased motor cushioning, and silphium fiber cosmetics packaging to its “Innovation Zone,” database of packaging innovations. The plant-based fork from Nestlé is made from wheat flour and salt and has been offered in a limited-edition packaging for its Maggi cup noodles in […]
In the Netherlands, InnoEnergy has made a €1-million (US $1.1 million) investment in biobased materials pioneer, LignEasy. LignEasy’s technology separates lignin for use in high-value applications such as plywood, construction materials, biobased components in plastics and packaging, providing sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products. Each year, over 15 million tons of lignin are burned by European […]
In Massachusetts, Circe has closed a $5 million seed round to advance gas fermentation technology for converting CO2, water, and electricity into sugars, fats, biodegradable plastics, and biofuels. It licensed the process from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute earlier this year. Circe’s initial target products are triglycerides. “Oils are ubiquitous and play a central role in […]
In Germany, Abolis Biotechnologies has closed a €35 million ($38.9 million) financing round to scale its biomanufacturing operations, accelerate business development efforts, develop its own line of products, and expand the activities of Microbiome Studio, its business unit dedicated to deciphering and engineering microbial ecosystems. Participants in the funding round include Evonik Venture Capital; BOLD, […]
In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Art and Hyundai Motor Group have picked renewable materials as two of the inaugural winners of their Excellence in Sustainability and Creative Practice award. Open to graduating RCA students only, Ankita Khanna and Yohaan Kukreja received the innovation award for their rice straw-derived biodegradable composite and sheet […]
In Massachusetts, polyolefin producer Braskem has opened a Renewable Innovation Center in the Lexington suburb of Boston. The 35,000-square-foot innovation center will accelerate innovation in renewable chemicals and materials and expand Braskem’s competencies in biotechnology, catalysis, and process engineering. A particular focus will be given to early-stage science and engineering related to the conversion of […]
In Italy, Eni has received permission from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security to begin construction of its planned biorefinery at Livorno. First announced in January, the site is to be ENI’s third biorefinery and have the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of HVO diesel, HVO naphtha, and bio-LPG using renewable raw […]
In Germany, chemicals giant Covestro and Chinese electric vehicle maker Li Auto have partnered to develop more sustainable materials for vehicles, with a focus on circularity and “future-oriented applications with engineering plastics.” Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, Covestro and Li Auto will establish a joint innovation platform to drive the development and […]
In France, precision fermentation startup Standing Ovation has raised €3.75 million ($4.2 million) in a Series A extension and appointed Yvan Chardonnens CEO as it prepares commercial launch of its animal free casein in 2025. The company says its process manufactures caseins that are bioidentical to those found in dairy products but emit 94% fewer […]
