The Ellen MacArthur Foundation today launched a new scoping paper – Urban Biocycles –produced in collaboration with World Economic Forum, in front of delegates from leading international institutions, at the annual Forum for the Future of Agriculture (FFA2017) in Brussels. The paper provides the Foundation’s first exploration of how applying circular economy principles could capture new value from biological material flows, in an urban context.
The Italian biochemical company GFBiochemicals and Atlanta-based American Process Inc., which is specialized in the development of technologies for the commercial production of sugars and ethanol from biomass, have entered into a joint development agreement to create the largest integrated cellulosic biorefinery in the world. “The agreement – both companies stated – is rooted in our complementary industrial operations and joint vision for a lower-carbon future”. The proposed biorefinery, located in the U.S, is expected to create 50-200 thousand tonnes per annum of bio-based products, addressing markets with a potential annual value of USD 10 billion.
Swiss-based biotech company Evolva teams up with Paris-based FCI to expand the European sales, marketing and distribution of its high-purity, sustainably sourced citrus ingredients, nootkatone and valencene.
Cosmetics industry giant Oriflame Products Poland has joined UPM Raflatac’s RafCycle recycling program. RafCycle recycles and reuses pressure sensitive label waste to create new materials. The partnership supports Oriflame’s target to reduce its landfill waste to zero across all their manufacturing sites. Oriflame is a leading beauty company selling direct. It has its origin in Sweden with corporate offices in Switzerland. The company offers a wide range of high-quality beauty products.
The European bioeconomy takes another step forward thanks to the successful initial public offering of Avantium which raised €103 M on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Bruxelles. Sofinnova Capital VI – Sofinnova Partners states – remains the main shareholder after the IPO. The initial public offering was multiple times oversubscribed.
Even this year for the International Women’s Day, we dedicate a tribute to the 8 women who have distinguished themselves in the bioeconomy in 2016. With their huge competences and their infinite passion, they are the stars of the world bioeconomy. Our best and warmest wishes to all women.
Ylwa Alwarsdotter, Senior VP Sekab (Sweden)
Catia Bastioli, CEO at Novamont (Italy)
Louise Batchelor, VP Strategy at BioAmber Inc. (Canada)
Jennifer Holmgren, CEO at Lanzatech (New Zealand/USA)
Nathalie Moll, Secretary General at EuropaBio (UE)
Theodora Retsina, CEO at American Process (USA)
Margaret Smallwood, CEO at BioVale (UK)
Marie Wheat, Industry Economist at USDA BioPreferred Program (USA)
A packaging revolution: Danone and Nestlé Waters, the world’s two largest bottled water companies, have joined forces with Origin Materials, a startup based in Sacramento, California, to form the NaturALL Bottle Alliance. Together, the three partners aim to develop and launch at commercial scale a PET plastic bottle made from bio-based material, i.e. 100% sustainable and renewable resources. PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common plastic in polyester family and is used in fibers for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, thermoforming for manufacturing, and in combination with glass fiber for engineering resins.
Two Italian companies, Bio-on and Sadam Group, has begun working on a project to develop innovative industrial processes, at competitive cost and with low environmental impact, to produce levulinic acid, a key element of the sustainable chemical industry of the future.
Comet Biorefining, the Canadian company focused on the production of high-purity cellulosic dextrose, completed a round of equity financing led by new investor PM Equity Partner. Current investor Sofinnova Partners and new investor Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) also participated in the financing, whose terms were not disclosed.
Novozymes launched the Spirizyme® T Portfolio, an advanced suite of glucoamylase enzymes with trehalase and other yield enhancing activities that provide the most total sugar conversion in the industry. Trehalase is an enzyme that converts trehalose, a type of sugar that cannot be fermented to ethanol, to glucose, which is easily fermentable.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 