In November 2024, the Tech Tour Bio Based Industries Program took place in Wuppertal, preceding the annual forum of Circular Valley, the event’s sponsor. The program brought together investors and innovative entrepreneurs to scale up sustainable projects and make them market-ready. According to William Stevens of Tech Tour, this is not just about networking, but about building coalitions that bring solutions to the market.
Eight winners from 35 entries
Of the 35 participating startups, eight innovative companies were selected as winners. Among them were two Dutch startups: Qorium and Mevaldi , both of which impressed with their technologies.
- Qorium: Learning from bioreactors
Dutch Qorium has developed a revolutionary process to grow collagen from bovine fibroblast cell biopsies. This collagen is produced in bioreactors and processed into leather sheets. CEO Michael Newton emphasized that the product fits seamlessly into existing tanneries and offers the benefits of real leather without the ethical and environmental issues. Qorium focuses on large-scale production and is working on a facility with an annual capacity of 600.000 m² of leather. In addition to luxury applications such as bags and car seats, the company is researching innovative applications such as abrasion-resistant leather integrated with Kevlar. - Mevaldi: Chemical building blocks from sugars
Mevaldi focuses on the production of biobased chemical building blocks with their proprietary technology called 'New Age Technology'. These building blocks, such as 3MPD (under the brand name Pentonext), are used in recyclable polyurethanes for coatings, adhesives and textiles. CEO Roger Ottenheym emphasized that their molecules are not only sustainable, but also improve the performance of traditional chemicals. Mevaldi is the first producer to make biobased 3MPD commercially available at competitive prices, an important milestone in the sector.
Ideal location for circular economy
Wuppertal, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, is the hotspot for the circular economy, according to Carsten Gerhardt of Circular Valley. He compares it to Silicon Valley for technology and London for FinTech. “The region offers a unique basis for biobased innovations,” says Gerhardt.
Sector-wide challenges and solutions
Dirk Carrez from the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) discussed the obstacles facing the sector, including financing, regulation and access to biomass. He called for targeted support for SMEs and start-ups, including instruments such as vouchers and capital for scaling up. Long timelines and complex certification requirements were also cited as major challenges by panelists and participants.
Continued in Ghent
The next Tech Tour event will take place on 23-24 April 2025 in Ghent, with a focus on circular agriculture and biomaterials. More information and registrations can be found on the Tech Tour website.
Source: Agro-Chemistry
