Surfboards from invasive trees offer a habitat-restoring plastic alternative
They say you never forget your first wave. Up to 35 million people worldwide surf, a past-time that may be as old as the human discovery of oceans. In the…
Plant-based biotech could stem crop losses in a hotter world
The British food supply stands on a house of cards under a warming climate. 66% of its consumed berries including bananas, 54% of citrus, and 19% of legumes come from…
The accelerator at the heart of Portugal’s marine biotech drive
In March 2023, the InvestEU Blue Economy instrument awarded €28 million for blue economy SMEs and small mid caps, primarily within Portugal and Spain. The funding was a win for…
East Africa’s burgeoning circular plastics sector needs more capital
Ethiopian entrepreneur Kidua Asfaw is using the plastic waste crisis to address Africa’s affordable housing shortage. His startup Kubik, founded in 2021 and based between Ethiopia and Kenya, saves plastics…
The marine mollusc inspiring nature-imitating devices
The eight-armed, double-tentacled cuttlefish is a natural wonder of the deep. This group of intelligent marine creatures are not in fact fish, but rather molluscs that belong to the cephalopod…
Tackling ‘ghost catch’ with circular and bio-based fishing gear
The global fisheries provide us with almost 20% of our animal protein and yet this vital part of our food system has a major plastic problem. As with so many…
Probiotic architecture brings good bacteria to building design
Bacteria can make our buildings healthier. This is according to practitioners of microbial architecture, an emerging area of the bioeconomy at the intersection of architecture and microbiology.
EU bioplastics policy: progress and prospects
40% of all plastics consumed in the EU is for packaging. Without action the region is on track for a further 46% increase in plastic packaging waste.
Bio-based technologies in climate adaptation: food, water, and feedstock
Bio-based technologies and materials are often seen as tools for climate mitigation - as strategies to avoid greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming.
Cities of grass: how bamboo buildings can advance climate goals
Large-scale concrete and steel structures have become potent symbols for human development. But the paradox of modern construction is that by shaping the environment to be hospitable to our needs,…
The EU boosts support for algae businesses
Algae is among most abundant, diverse, chemically rich, and low-input feedstocks. Bio-based startups working with these organisms have become targets of EU green investment over the last ten years and…
The environmental startups looking beyond carbon emissions
At COP15 last year, more than 330 businesses called on heads of state to make biodiversity and ecosystem disclosure a mandatory part of financial reporting. These included Aviva Investors, BNP…