Replacing synthetic polymers with bacterial cellulose
BIOWEG´s goal is to substitute petroleum-based chemicals with ecologically friendly, biodegradable alternatives through a sustainable and environmentally responsible process. The start-up uses waste byproducts and turns these into high-value ingredients by the process of fermentation and green chemistry. Compliant with EU laws, their innovation offers 100% biodegradability, more sustainable processes and products, and superior performance compared to synthetic polymers.
The innovation is a solution to the problem, that the founders observed:
“Our world is not just facing a crisis of microplastics but also of waste management where the food and agricultural industries are major contributors to it”
, nexplained Srinivas. The vast amount of produced waste ends up in landfills or is disposed of through incineration, leading to high environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. To tackle both problems, the start-up has developed a patent-pending circular zero-waste process that utilizes these waste or side streams as feedstock for the production of microbial cellulose.
At the beginning of the process, waste or side-streams, such as molasses and starches, are sourced from local German industries. This not only reduces the carbon footprint but also aligns with the principles of the circular economy. These waste materials serve as feedstock for the fermentation process, resulting in the production of bacterial cellulose. The latter is biodegradable and serves as a sustainable substitute for widely used synthetic polymers and has diverse potential application. By the principles of materials science and green chemistry the cellulose is transformed into microbeads, rheology modifiers, hydrocolloids, agricoatings and others depending on the industry.
In addition, the entire process is energy efficient and requires minimal sterilisation. This dual feature significantly reduces the consumption of water and other sterilising chemicals, positioning it as an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution. In essence, BIOWEG's innovative approach not only promotes the circular economy by sourcing waste locally, but also offers a greener alternatives to widely used microplastics, contributing to a more sustainable future.
Next steps for BIOWEG
Currently, BIOWEG is preparing to launch and commercialise its micropowders and agricoatings for the personal care and agri markets. The start-up also plans to close its Series A seed round in Q1 2024 and to reach the full potential of its pilot production plant in Quakenbrück. They are also working on staffing and equipping their application development centre in Monheim to meet the high demand for application use case development.
BIOWEG, who joined the ISC3 Global Start-up Service in July 2023 as one of the Innovation Challenge finalists, is actively contributing to SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (Climate action), SDG 14 (Life below water), and SDG 15 (Life on land).
