Groundbreaking British inventions win global sustainability prize

by Startacus Admin

For the first time ever, the Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge has both a British winner and runner up in the form of innovative startups SoluBlue and Jiva Materials

Revolutionary packaging startup, SoluBlue, has been awarded the top prize of €500,000 from the Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge, one of the world’s largest annual sustainability competitions. The Cambridge-based startup beat over 650 startups from across Europe to be crowned the latest winner and will now use the prize money to scale up its technology for pilot production among retailers. 

SoluBlue wowed the Jury by revealing its potential to revolutionise the way we store food to eliminate plastic and food waste. Its innovative packaging stops food from rotting by absorbing excess moisture so that packaged food gradually dries instead, meaning many everyday foods stay fresh for more than 50% longer. Food types, including cheese and fruit, were even found to stay fresh and safe for consumption after two years in SoluBlue’s packaging. 

The seaweed-based packaging is also 100% natural and non-toxic. It will completely biodegrade in a normal household compost bin within just eight-weeks, as opposed to many plastic alternatives that need commercial composting facilities. SoluBlue’s packaging also has the same look and feel as conventional plastic, so consumers and companies can reduce their plastic use without having to compromise on the look and feel of their packaging. 

Commenting on SoluBlue’s win, Ayca Dundar, Co-Founder of SoluBlue, said: “Winning Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge 2020 is an incredible achievement and honour for us. Winning the top prize is not only going to revolutionise our growth plans, but it will provide further confidence to investors that our technology is the future. We’ve proven that our packaging works so now is the time to show the food industry and consumers that SoluBlue can help create a cleaner and greener planet!” 

For the first time in its 13-year history, the competition has both a British winner and runner up. Jiva Materials is this year’s runner up and has been awarded a total of €200,000 to scale up the world’s first fully recycled printed circuit board to tackle the world’s mounting electronic waste. 

Jiva Materials impressed the Jury with its ability to drastically improve the recyclability of electronic products, radically reducing the need to mine rare and precious metals used in many of our electronic devices, from washing machines to lighting. Jiva Materials has created a flax based printed circuit board, Soluboard®, which can be simply separated in hot water so the metals in electronic devices can be easily and safely extracted for new purposes. 

The Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge is hosted by People’s Postcode Lottery in Britain and its sister lotteries in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and German. The competition awards champion startups from across these nations that successfully combine sustainability, entrepreneurship, and creativity to help tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges. 

Commenting on the announcement, Clara Govier, Managing Director at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Well done to SoluBlue and Jiva Materials for their exciting and ground-breaking inventions. Thanks to the players of Postcode Lottery who have raised over £150 million for environmental charities, we will hopefully see these game-changing products in use and see the transformational impact they will have on the planet in the not-too-distant future.” 

The competition will re-open on 1st March 2021 where a new round of startups will get the chance to be crowned next year’s winner. All information on the competition and how to enter will be published at https://www.greenchallenge.info/. 

 

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Published on: 23rd February 2021