System Development/Field Test/ Commercialization

Samsara Eco is working on innovative solutions for recycling plastics and textiles through advanced enzyme technology. Unlike traditional recycling, which often downgrades materials and limits plastic recyclability, Samsara Eco’s enzymes break down complex plastics (polymers) into their original chemical building blocks (monomers). The company creates virgin-grade plastics without reliance on fossil fuels by converting polymers into simple monomers.

Polymateria is a startup specializing in biodegradable and compostable plastics, focusing on addressing fugitive plastics, which are plastics that escape waste collection systems and pollute natural environments. According to the company, approximately 2.1 billion tonnes of plastic waste are projected to become fugitive plastics by 2050, aggravating ocean and ecosystem pollution.

Footprint specializes in plant-based fiber solutions to replace rigid plastics in food packaging. With a focus on freezer, microwave, and oven-safe applications, Footprint’s mission is to remove plastic from food-contact materials, creating packaging that is fully biodegradable The company's patented technologies provide moisture and oil resistance, extending the shelf life of frozen goods from 12 to 18 months.

Oceanium is a startup producing high-purity, seaweed-derived ingredients for food, health, skincare, and sustainable materials. Oceanium applies proprietary biorefinery technology rooted in green chemistry principles and is working on incorporating recycled wastewater in the process.

Oceanium’s products  include:

BioPak is an Australian company dedicated to manufacturing compostable packaging solutions, including plant-based coffee cups, takeout containers, and cutlery. The company use renewable resources such as sugarcane and corn starch to produce materials that decompose effectively in various environments, aiming to mitigate single-use plastic pollution.

Epoch Biodesign has created a platform that integrates advanced biological processes to transform complex, blended plastics into sustainable materials. Unlike conventional recycling methods, the company’s proprietary process operates at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure, without toxic catalysts or solvents—what they term "biorecycling."

Matter. has developed Regen™,  a patented self-cleaning filtration solution designed to capture microplastics and microfiber pollutants from domestic and commercial laundry. 

Regen™ operates using a unique regenerative process to separate microfibers from wastewater effectively. Its self-cleaning filter design provides outstanding performance, a better user experience, and a truly sustainable design for domestic, commercial, and industrial applications. 

Ecovative is a startup developing mycelium-based materials as sustainable alternatives for the food, fashion, and packaging industries. The company operates three mycelium farms and annually converts over 10 million pounds of wood chips into high-value mycelium products. By using environmental signals, Ecovative guides mycelium to grow into complex structures through specific phenotypic triggers. The company also develops new strains with tailored properties for various applications.

Ductor addresses today’s environmental challenges in the energy and agriculture sectors by unlocking bioresources to make food production sustainable and energy generation clean. The company repurposes organic waste, transforming it into carbon-reduced fertilizers and renewable energy. Specializing in high-nitrogen organic waste that cannot be processed in conventional biogas systems, Ductor uses waste from agriculture, aquaculture, and other organic sources. This waste is fed into the Ductor reactor, where a patented microorganism consortium ferments it.

PlantSwitch is a startup with a mission to replace all petroleum-based single-use plastics with plant-based alternatives. PlantSwitch's proprietary technology upcycles agricultural residues into plant-based resin that can be used to manufacture nearly all types of plastic products. According to the company, their home-compostable resin can fully break down in backyard compost within 12 months, leaving behind no microplastics.