This article previews the 20 finalists of the 2023 JEC Composites Startup Booster, which organizers say is the leading startup competition in the advanced materials and composites sector.
Image Credit: JEC Group
Since 2017, the Startup Booster has facilitated the emergence of 700 projects from over 60 countries. Notable winners include FibreCoat, Arevo, Continuous Composites, CompPair, Fortify, and Vartega.
This year, the competition included entrepreneurs, SMEs, startups, and academic spinoffs. Twenty selected startups will have the opportunity to present their pitches to industry experts and investors at JEC World 2023.
All the finalists showcase their innovations in front of a prestigious jury consisting of industry experts and investors from companies such as Airbus and Mercedes-Benz, as well as receive extensive online visibility and personal coaching for their pitch presentation before the show.
From the 20 finalists, three winners will be chosen by the jury, consisting of two winners selected in each category and one overall winner for "Sustainability." These three winners will receive a Startup Booster Award made in Composites, a financial prize of €3,500, and a fully equipped booth at JEC World 2024, valued at €10,000.
The 2023 Finalists
Products & Materials Category
Agrona produces 100% eco-friendly wood panels from agri waste and bio-based resins, saving three trees and reducing CO2 emissions by 500 cubic meters for each ton produced.
ALD Technical Solutions, a cleantech enterprise, has patented Composite WiRe WrapTM and GridWrapTM technologies that double power transmission capacity and enhance grid infrastructural strength and integrity, with no downtime.
Algreen utilizes biobased materials and innovative technologies to provide renewable and sustainable product solutions, including biobased polyurethane, aimed at replacing unsustainable fossil products in various industries.
COBRATEX offers sustainable bamboo reinforcements using patented technology to extract and weld bamboo strips into a continuous ribbon of unidirectional fibers that form a composite structure with closed honeycomb-like structures.
Grafren AB's proprietary technology enables the manufacturing and coating of graphene materials onto fibers-based substrates with unique functionalities such as electrical and thermal conductivity, fire and mechanical resistance, using a minimal application of only 4-5 grams of graphene per square meter of fibers.
GreenGen manufactures environmentally-friendly container products using plant fibers and biosourced resins.
HYCCO develops ultra-light, durable, and flexible carbon fiber bipolar plates with chemically-resistant and electrically-conductive properties, which increase the power density of fuel cell stacks, making them suitable for decarbonizing the heavy mobility market.
INCA Renewtech is utilizing strong hemp fiber to design lightweight and recyclable car interiors, RV sidewalls, boat cores, and consumer products to improve fuel and EV battery efficiency while offering a cost-competitive and sustainable solution.
Mushroom Material has created a biodegradable and sustainable alternative to polystyrene using mushrooms, combining agricultural waste with mycelium to produce a material with protective properties that degrades naturally.
Mussel Polymers Inc develops effective adhesive solutions for challenging applications, including underwater, high-moisture, low-energy surfaces, medical and military applications, and provides a full range of analytics and testing capabilities.
Image Credit: JEC Group
Process, Manufacturing & Equipment Category
Addyx uses advanced topology optimization and additive manufacturing techniques to create complex-shaped hollow high-performance composites that are lighter, stronger, and less expensive to produce, thanks to a patented inflatable mandrel and Carbon exoskeleton technology.
Catack-H recovers high-quality recycled carbon fibers from waste carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP).
Composite Recycling has developed a clean technology process to separate resin from fibers and clean them, making them reusable in new composites.
Lineat Composites uses Aligned Formable Fibre Technology to produce advanced carbon fibre composites that are cost-effective, sustainable, and can be formed quickly and easily, thus making it possible to reuse technical carbon fibre.
Microwave Solutions offers agile and modular circular composites by selectively de-polymerizing the matrix, recovering high-quality fibers and fillers, and converting carbon to nanomaterials.
Nova Carbon uses Long Fiber Realignment to create high-performance semi-finished products for the composites industry, democratizing the use of carbon fiber by utilizing waste materials.
Plyable uses AI and machine learning technology to automate the design and manufacture of composite tooling, reducing the processing time from weeks to seconds.
Synthesites is working on automating the curing process of composites, using their Online Resin State software to provide real-time information on glass transition temperature. This has been successfully tested in various resins and is being applied in serial production with leading aerospace and wind energy OEMs.
TerraWaste uses a high-pressure/high-temperature Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system to recycle plastics, dry, wet and mixed waste into high-value chemicals, oil and biochar, with zero waste produced.
Recycled carbon fiber from Thermolysis offers both environmental sustainability and exceptional strength, making it a popular choice in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and construction.
More from AZoM: Showcasing Composite Material Innovation at JEC World 2023
References and Further Reading
Addyx. https://www.addyx.it/
Agrona. http://agrona.net/
ALD Technical Solutions. https://aldtechnicalsolutions.com/
Algreen. https://www.algreen.tech/
Catack-H. http://catack-h.com/
COBRATEX. https://www.cobratex.com/
Composite Recycling. ://composite-recycling.ch/
Grafren. https://grafren.se/
GreenGen Technologies. https://en.greengentechnologies.com/our-working-method/
HYCCO. https://hycco.fr/
INCA Renewtech. https://incarenewtech.com/
Startup Booster. [Online] JEC. Available at: https://www.jec-world.events/program/startup-booster
Lineat. https://lineat.co.uk/
Microwave Solutions. https://microwavesolutions.ch/
Mushroom Material. https://www.mushroommaterial.com/
Mussel Polymers. https://www.musselpolymers.com/
Nova Carbon. https://www.nova-carbon.com/
Plyable. https://www.plyable.com/
Synthesites. https://www.synthesites.com/
Terrawaste. https://terrawaste.tech/
Thermolysis. https://www.thermolysis-asia.com/en
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