Green Startups Wanted

It may be time to retire the notion of the struggling startup in search of funding…at least until the next recession hits. Yet another group is urging entrepreneurs to sign up to compete in a competition that promises plenty of prizes and great contacts, too. The Green Chemistry & Commerce Council (GC3) is billed as a business-to-business collaborative that drives the commercial adoption of green chemistry. GC3 has issued a call for applications from startup companies to compete in the GC3 Startup Network’s 4th Annual Technology Showcase. Startups will compete for the opportunity to pitch their chemicals, materials, products, and manufacturing technologies to investors and large strategic companies scouting for green chemistry ingredients and solutions. The Technology Showcase is part of the GC3 Annual Innovators Roundtable hosted this year by GC3 member Procter & Gamble Fabric Care in Cincinnati, OH.


Sixteen major companies including Apple, BASF, Best Buy Company, Inc., New Balance, Patagonia, and Target have contributed to a list of sustainable chemistry technology needs. These brands, retailers, and manufacturers are seeking sustainable solutions in a range of categories that includes – but is not limited to – adhesives, coating technologies, fabric finishes, and plasticizers. The list of sustainable chemistry technology needs also includes ingredients such as surfactants and fragrance raw materials for formulated consumer products (including personal care and household products).


Up to 10 semifinalists will be selected to present their technologies to participating companies in the Technology Showcase on May 7, 2019 in Cincinnati. Of the 10 semifinalists, three will be chosen to pitch their solutions to a panel of investors and technology scouts on the main stage at the GC3 Innovators Roundtable on May 8. Scheduled panelists include Stephen Crawford, SVP/CTO, Eastman Chemical Company, and Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, Chemistry Center of Excellence – Global Sustainability, Nike, Inc. More than 200 individuals representing 125 GC3 member companies and other organizations will attend the Roundtable.


Interested startups must apply online by Feb. 1, 2019. The competition will consider chemistry technologies that can improve human and ecological health impacts, enhance energy efficiency, reduce environmental emissions and reduce waste generation, even if the application is not on the list of sustainable chemistry technology needs. Each semifinalists will receive one complimentary registration to both the GC3 Technology Showcase on May 7, 2019 and the Annual Innovators Roundtable on May 7-9, 2019. Semifinalists will also receive a one-year company membership in the GC3 Startup Network, which provides access to education, networking, and mentoring to help build business relationships to bring their solutions to market.


GC3 members are bullish about the event and outcomes. MilliporeSigma, a GC3 member and past sponsor of the Roundtable, applauds the Technology Showcase for the value it brings to both startup and established companies. 


“MilliporeSigma strives to offer its customers more sustainable alternatives to conventional chemicals, and we recognize the importance of collaborating with others to meet this goal,” said Ettigounder Ponnusamy, fellow and global manager of Green Chemistry at MilliporeSigma. “Through the GC3 Technology Showcase, we were introduced to a startup company developing a renewably sourced n-butanol, which we have since incorporated into our product line. We look forward to meeting the new group of startups presenting in 2019.”


The Technology Showcase is organized by the GC3 Startup Network, a program that fosters green chemistry entrepreneurship and accelerates the development of and market pull for green chemistry technologies.


“The GC3 Startup Network identifies and supports green chemistry startups through mentoring and related programs, and serves as a resource for brands, retailers, and manufacturers to identify new sustainable solutions for their customers,” said Julie Manley, coordinator of the GC3 Startup Network.


“The GC3 2018 Technology Showcase introduced our company to more than 200 people involved in sustainable product design,” said Aviad Cahana, Chief Executive Officer, xF Technologies, a startup company that converts biomass to furan-esters for cleaning solvents, adhesives, plasticizers and paint coalescers. “The diverse audience created a unique opportunity to network up and down the supply chain, resulting in sample requests and contacts to develop further.”


“By vetting startup technologies from across the globe, the Technology Showcase positions cutting-edge green chemistry innovators in front of like-minded investors and decision-makers to foster relationships that bring sustainable technologies to market,” noted Manley.