The announcement by Korean advanced materials supplier Samyang Chemical Group that it had entered a strategic partnership with Plug and Play, which describes itself as the world's largest innovation platform, piqued our interest. The partnership aims to facilitate the discovery and investment in promising startups globally, providing a range of opportunities across various sectors and countries, while fostering cross-border collaboration.
As a key player in the global chemical industry, Samyang Chemical Group is committed to staying at the forefront of innovation. By joining forces with Plug and Play, the company aims to identify and adopt emerging technologies that will enable it to address evolving market demands and environmental challenges.
Plug and Play will provide Samyang Chemical Group with access to a diverse ecosystem of startups through its VC as a Service platform. It will support the entire process of scouting, identification, and due diligence with the goal of driving early-stage investments. By participating in Plug and Play's programs and events, Samyang Chemical Group will have the opportunity to engage with innovative solutions in areas such as digitalization, sustainability, and supply chain optimization.
Here are some of the materials start-ups under the New Materials & Packaging vertical on the Plug and Play innovation platform seeking investment funding:
Green Dot is a full service bioplastic company with a wide range of sustainable materials including: wood plastic composites, starch biocomposites, biodegradable composites and compostable elastomers. Our mission is to improve the environment in which we live by building a more sustainable world with renewable biobased resins and promoting their use through invention, creation and research.
The company has developed a plant-based alternative for petroleum-based plastics. Through our research and development, we patented a process that allows our resin to replace ANYTHING made of plastic. It uses plant matter in blown film processing, extrusion with a thin wall, and injection mold. With manufacturers across the country, it has now produced samples of finished goods including straws, bags, spoons, forks, and knives, film, and a variety of containers.
BioPlaster Research BioPlaster Research is an advanced material R&D startup that specializes in the development of sustainable materials made from algae such as knitted fabrics, fishing nets, bioplastics, materials for efficient agriculture and other biosolutions. Our vision is to reduce the plastic pollution footprint while giving a use to the millions of tons of sargassum seaweed that degrade the Caribbean.
Trillium Renewable Chemicals plans to manufacture acrylonitrile from renewable feedstocks and replace a portion of the $14B fossil-based acrylonitrile market. Our green drop-in replacement chemical offers customers a fast path to sustainability without requiring new materials or application development. Trillium's approach enables renewable carbon fiber, acrylic fiber, and ABS plastic; these are all interesting materials that can address growing demand for products like sustainable apparel, toys, auto parts, and wastewater treatment chemicals.