Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VEnvirotech (From waste to value: Transforming organic waste into biodegradable bioplastics)
Berichtszeitraum: 2019-11-01 bis 2020-02-29
VEnvirotech is facing two different problems: the plastic crisis and the waste of organic waste. Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental problems, as the increase in the production of disposable plastic products exceeds the world's ability to take care of them. Most of these plastics end up in the ocean, the largest plastic sink. Every year between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic reach the oceans. Moreover, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food, is lost or wasted every year. In addition to the economic impact, food waste ends up in landfills, becoming responsible for creating 3% of global GHG.
To address the challenge of plastics crisis and effective waste management in a circular economy model, the European Commission (EC) has defined strategies to replace conventional petroleum-based polymers with biopolymers, also known as bioplastics. In many cases, bioplastics have a plant origin which implies large areas for growing raw materials, becoming competitors in agricultural land for biofuels, livestock feed and human food. Additionally, many of these bioplastics, despite having a biological origin, are not biodegradable or only partially biodegradable. For all these reasons, although bioplastics represent a good alternative to petroleum-derived plastic, there is still an important uncovered need: to have a completely biodegradable bioplastic, totally derived from organic waste, and that can be produced in a competitive way.
One of the bioplastics that are generating great interest from the market are polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), produced by bacteria. Unfortunately, due to its expensive production process, the currently commercialised PHA cannot compete with conventional plastics in the market. At VEnvirotech, we have identified all threats present in current PHA production processes, and we have developed an innovative production process that will allow us to obtain a PHA from organic waste, at low cost and with more than 95% of purity: the VE-0Plastic.
To address the challenge of plastics crisis and effective waste management in a circular economy model, the European Commission (EC) has defined strategies to replace conventional petroleum-based polymers with biopolymers, also known as bioplastics. In many cases, bioplastics have a plant origin which implies large areas for growing raw materials, becoming competitors in agricultural land for biofuels, livestock feed and human food. Additionally, many of these bioplastics, despite having a biological origin, are not biodegradable or only partially biodegradable. For all these reasons, although bioplastics represent a good alternative to petroleum-derived plastic, there is still an important uncovered need: to have a completely biodegradable bioplastic, totally derived from organic waste, and that can be produced in a competitive way.
One of the bioplastics that are generating great interest from the market are polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), produced by bacteria. Unfortunately, due to its expensive production process, the currently commercialised PHA cannot compete with conventional plastics in the market. At VEnvirotech, we have identified all threats present in current PHA production processes, and we have developed an innovative production process that will allow us to obtain a PHA from organic waste, at low cost and with more than 95% of purity: the VE-0Plastic.
Within the technological feasibility study, we have studied the technological effort and feasibility to bring our innovative solution from current TRL6 to TRL9, by means of an EIC Accelerator Project. PHA production process (VE-Box) and PHA extraction process (VE-Out) scale-up to reach higher capacities have been assessed, as well as the strategies to enhance current performance of bacteria for PHA biomass obtaining and PHA extraction process. Legal and certification issues have been assessed, and a certification strategy for our bioplastic has been defined.
According to the market assessment, a complete Bioplastics market assessment has been conducted, and TAM and SAM have been identified. An in-depth State of the Art analysis has been carried out, and main competitors have been identified.
Moreover, we have updated our business model figures, identified key stakeholders for project success and set a commercialisation strategy for our products after the end of the project. Financial projections and funding requirements have been assessed, and IPR strategy has been defined.
Finally, a project Work Plan for EIC accelerator program has been developed and sized. Required resources and execution times have been determined.
According to the market assessment, a complete Bioplastics market assessment has been conducted, and TAM and SAM have been identified. An in-depth State of the Art analysis has been carried out, and main competitors have been identified.
Moreover, we have updated our business model figures, identified key stakeholders for project success and set a commercialisation strategy for our products after the end of the project. Financial projections and funding requirements have been assessed, and IPR strategy has been defined.
Finally, a project Work Plan for EIC accelerator program has been developed and sized. Required resources and execution times have been determined.
VEnvirotech is a start-up whose aim is to leader a Plastic Revolution by creating social, environmental and economic impact with biodegradable bioplastics while promoting a circular economy at a global scale. Our technology for bioplastic production finds to end up with resources exhaustion, using waste as raw material for a bioplastic production. Our business model is focused on circular economy and our aim is to optimize resource yields by circulating organic waste at the highest utility. VEnvirotech aims to achieve the reduction of non-biodegradable plastics by substituting petrol-based plastics for complete biodegradable bioplastics made from organic waste, which is reducing plastic pollution in the environment. Moreover, our project will also reduce water contamination by organic waste, and will help to reduce climate change due to its portable technology that avoids organic waste transportation.
Our OVERALL OBJECTIVE to boost our product to TRL8 is to complete the development and optimization of our VE-0Plastic production process (VE-BOX and VE-OUT) in order to: i) increase production capacity, ii) optimise production processes performance (upstream and downstream), iii) minimise production costs, and iv) validate our solution to get the required product certifications. Moreover, we will receive feedback from the market, define final applications for VE-0Plastic, reach agreements to validate our up-scaled VE-Box technology, assess the patentability of project outcomes, and reach strategic agreements for first commercialisation phase.
We have started our own Plastic Revolution… so let us to challenge plastic waste with VE-0Plastic!
Our OVERALL OBJECTIVE to boost our product to TRL8 is to complete the development and optimization of our VE-0Plastic production process (VE-BOX and VE-OUT) in order to: i) increase production capacity, ii) optimise production processes performance (upstream and downstream), iii) minimise production costs, and iv) validate our solution to get the required product certifications. Moreover, we will receive feedback from the market, define final applications for VE-0Plastic, reach agreements to validate our up-scaled VE-Box technology, assess the patentability of project outcomes, and reach strategic agreements for first commercialisation phase.
We have started our own Plastic Revolution… so let us to challenge plastic waste with VE-0Plastic!