On Monday October 23rd, we took a look at three innovative start-up solutions to reduce the impact plastics and packaging have on our environment. Missed the event? Check out the recap now

The proliferation of single-use plastics and the linear “take, make, dispose” approach to packaging have led to severe environmental consequences. Did you know that approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter our oceans every year? This staggering amount of waste not only threatens marine life but also enters the human food chain, impacting our health and ecosystem.

Start-ups are uniquely positioned to challenge conventional norms and develop groundbreaking technologies, materials, and business models that align with a circular economy. By identifying gaps in the market, exploring new materials, and leveraging digital tools, innovative start-ups can accelerate the transition to sustainable packaging solutions. We invited three start-ups to share their solutions in Plastics & Packaging.

Check out the full video below:

Moderated by:

Rachel Johnson, Program Manager CIRCULAZE

Keynote by:

Christof Kölschbach, CSO & Managing Director at Jokey SE
Ramona Lob, Key Account Manager Jokey SE

The Startups:

Founder/s:

Julia and Malte Biss

Located In:

Berlin, Germany

Flustix tests products and packaging for their use and volume of plastics. Plastic-free as well as plastic-reduced products can be labelled with their symbol, providing a reliable guide for eco-conscious customers and facilitate CSR for brands.

Founder/s:

Torge Barkholtz, Maximilian Zott, and Dmytro Boguslavskyy

Located In:

Zurich, Switzerland

Every year in Switzerland, 500 million disposable cups are thrown away. This means 2,700 tons of garbage. kooky is the first digital cup smart system. Get your drink in a kooky cup and – when you’re done – drop it off in one of the many kooky boxes around town.

Founder/s:

Max Bannasch and Alessandro Marchiaro

Located In:

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Smart reusable packaging for packaged foods. circolution rents out reusable containers, takes care of reverse logistics and tracks containers throughout the journey. A standardised white-label solution for packaged food in the supermarket.