In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges of sustainable protein production with Yvain Chardonnens, CEO of Standing Ovation. They explore the environmental impact of traditional dairy farming and the innovative process of producing casein through precision fermentation. The conversation highlights the founding story of Standing Ovation, the importance of casein in dairy products, and the company's mission to revolutionize the dairy industry ...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, host Melina Gerdts discusses the critical role of soil in climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and global food security with Azadeh Farajpur, Founder of BetterSoil. They explore the importance of soil health, the alarming rate of soil loss, and the impact of unsustainable agricultural practices. Azadeh shares her personal connection to soil and provides insights into what constitutes healthy soil, the dangers of monoculture, an...

In this episode of the Biocircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts interviews Dr. Carmen Hijosa, founder of Ananas Anam, about the innovative leather-substitute Pinatex, made from pineapple waste. They discuss the environmental impact of traditional leather production, the journey of creating a sustainable alternative, and the positive social impact on local communities in the Philippines. The conversation also covers market acceptance, challenges faced in the industry, and the vision for a susta...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges biotech startups face in scaling their innovations from lab to industrial scale with Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Operations at the Bio-Base Europe Pilot Plant. They explore the high costs associated with scaling, the importance of collaboration and expertise, and the regulatory hurdles that can delay market entry. The conversation also highlights emerging trends in biobased applications, including alternativ...

This episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast provides an in-depth exploration of the circular bioeconomy in Europe, featuring insights from Marco Rupp, Deputy Executive Director of the Bio-Based Industry Consortium (BIC). The discussion covers the evolution of the bioeconomy over the past decade, the role of innovation and funding, and the strategic importance of bio-based industries in addressing sustainability and climate change. Key themes include the challenges of biomass availability, th...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges of food packaging, particularly in preserving fruits and vegetables while reducing plastic waste. She interviews Arash Fayyazi, co-founder of Savage, a Swedish startup focused on innovative, plant-based packaging solutions. They explore the importance of sustainable food packaging, the technology behind Savagie's products, and the collaboration with industry partners to tackle food waste effectively. In th...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, we discuss the challenges facing the cocoa industry and the innovative solutions being developed to create sustainable chocolate alternatives. The conversation features Massimo Sabatini, CEO of Foreverland, who shares insights into the cocoa supply chain, the impact of climate change, and the development of a new cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from carob. The discussion highlights the importance of taste, sustainability, and the challeng...

This episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast discusses the innovative use of lignin, a byproduct of wood processing, to create bioplastics. The conversation explores the environmental impact of traditional plastics, the potential of lignin in sustainable materials, and the business model of Lignin Industries, a Swedish startup focused on turning lignin into bioplastics. Fredrik Malmfors, CEO of Lignin Industries, shares insights on the company's journey, the importance of circular economy, an...

Tommaso Barbieri shares the story of Tomapaint, a startup focused on creating bio-resins from byproducts and waste from the Italian tomato processing industry. He discusses the innovative technology behind their product, bio-based cutin, and its applications in various industries, including food packaging and cosmetics. The conversation also explores Tomapaint's integration within the Italian tomato industry, their partnerships, and the family dynamics of the founding team. Tommaso highlights...

In this episode of the BioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts interviews Viktoria Kanar, CEO of Refresh Global, a startup focused on innovative textile recycling. They discuss the challenges of textile waste management, the impact of fast fashion, and the upcoming EU Waste Framework Directive. Viktoria shares the founding story of Refresh Global, the technology behind their SmartUp system, and the potential applications of their recycled materials. The conversation highlights the importance ...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the pressing issue of plastic waste and recycling with Christian Sigmund, CEO of WildPlastic. They explore the current state of plastic recycling, the system innovation approach WildPlastic is taking to collect and repurpose plastic waste found in the environment around the world, and the importance of changing consumer perception. The conversation also delves into the social impact of their work, the challenges of scali...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses waste valorization and the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing these processes with John Goriup, CEO of VCG.AI. They explore how AI can optimize waste management, predict waste flows, and create sustainable business models. The conversation delves into the challenges of scaling waste valorization, the importance of data-driven approaches, and the various industries that can benefit from these innovations. In thi...

In this episode, the bioCircular Loop podcast discusses fungi-based alternative proteins and the use of innovative raw material sources to soy. The guest, Simo Ellilä, CEO and co-founder of Enifer, a biotech startup in Finland, shares insights on their process of fermenting side streams to produce sustainable protein ingredients. The conversation covers the benefits of plant-based proteins, the environmental and ethical concerns of animal agriculture, and the challenges of soy dependency in E...

Episode #5 explores the chemicals and plastics value chains and a technology that uses CO2 as a renewable resource for circular chemicals production. A key discussion topic is the importance of partnerships in driving circular transformations and the need for collaboration across value chains. The conversation delves into the technology developed by Photanol, a Dutch startup, which uses CO2, sunlight, water, and bacteria to convert carbon into renewable chemicals. Renolit and Photanol are par...

Carbios is a French biotech company that has developed enzymatic processes to recycle plastic, particularly PET. They have engineered enzymes specifically for PET and other types of plastic, allowing them to break down the polymers into monomers that can be used to produce new high-quality plastics. They have built a bio-recycling plant in France that can process 50,000 tons of waste per year. Their business model is based on licensing their technology to make it accessible in many countries....

Chaincraft is a Dutch startup that manufactures fatty acids from local food waste, specifically pre-consumer plant-based organic residues. They use a two-step fermentation process to convert food waste into medium chain fatty acids, which is more sustainable with a lower carbon footprint than traditional palm oil-based fatty acids. The company currently operates a demo plant in Amsterdam and is planning to build a larger flagship factory in the Netherlands. Their products have a significantly...

Episode #2 explores the importance of nutrient recovery, specifically the recovery of phosphorus, from wastewater and waste sludge. The depletion of phosphorus reserves and the overuse of fertilizers have led to environmental pollution like eutrophication and biodiversity loss. Rag'n'Sells, a recycling company, has diversified to become a future material producer, focusing on phosphorus recovery. Their technology, called Ash2Phos, extracts phosphorus and other valuable materials from sewage s...

The first episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast introduces the concept of circular bioeconomy and its importance in addressing global challenges. The circular bioeconomy involves shifting towards a more sustainable and resource-efficient economy, where externalities like pollution become the responsibility of companies. It aims to create value from waste and challenges the linear value chains that dominate the current system. The podcast explores the people, companies, organizations, techno...

The Biocircular Loop podcast aims to educate and inform listeners about the circular bioeconomy in Europe. It highlights the innovations and businesses driving the growth of a circular economy powered by renewable biomass and recycled materials. The podcast explores the goal of moving away from linear systems and towards a circular system that considers the whole life cycle of a product. The host, Melina Gerdts, is a market researcher and strategy consultant who works with companies developin...