Chris Heyer’s Post

🔬 HELM AG Industry Challenge: Calling Founders🔬 Are you a founder from Iberia, France, or CEE building solutions that could redefine the future of circular industry? HELM AG and Marvelous are calling on innovators ready to drive the transition to circular chemistry and bring innovation to a global scale. What is the DeepTech Runway? DeepTech Runway is a full-day, invite-only forum in Berlin on 18 September 2025, designed to supercharge Europe's transition from world-class research to world-scale impact. What is the HELM AG Industry Challenge? HELM AG, one of the world’s leading chemical distributors handling millions of tons of products globally, is seeking breakthrough technologies along two tracks: > Chemical Recycling - How can waste streams be transformed into chemical feedstocks for the chemical industry? > CO₂ Utilization - How can captured CO₂ be converted into drop-in solutions that replace fossil-based chemicals? Solutions should aim at commercially viable chemicals that seamlessly integrate into existing supply chains — from base chemicals (e.g. aromatics, olefins) to intermediates, commodities, and specialties. The infrastructure is in place. HELM AG is ready. What’s needed is your innovation. If you have the technology, the prototype, or the pathway to turn waste or CO₂ into chemical building blocks of tomorrow, apply now. The top five entrepreneurs are invited to pitch at DeepTech Runway; ticket costs are covered. DeepTech Runway | Berlin | September 18, 2025 Application link below ⬇️ #DeepTechRunway #ScalingScience #DeepTechEurope #IndustrialInnovation #CircularChemistry #HELM #SouthernEurope #HELM2030 cc: Chris Heyer Philipp Buddemeier Lian Michelson Goncalo Gomes Oliveira Viktoria Blum Faysal Bayazid Daniel Tepe

#ReasonsToJoinZEST 🌾 Agro-industrial producers play a vital role in building a more sustainable Europe. ♻️ If your activity generates side-streams or residues, you could turn them into value with the #ZESTproject. 📈 From opening new markets and increasing revenues to modernising production with AI—ZEST is here to help you innovate and grow. 🎥 Press play and discover why joining #ZEST makes sense for your business. 🔬 ZEST is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members. Partners: Teknologisk Institut / CTA (Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía)  / Food & Bio Cluster Denmark  / Leitat Technological Center  / Tate & Lyle / Nordzucker AG / Sinonin Biotech GmbH / VizLore LLC / Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry / Bioreactors.net / Quh-Lab / SensiMate  #HorizonEU #EUfunded #CircularBioeconomy #Sustainability #Innovation #Bioeconomy #CircularEconomy #Agroindustry

Backing the Bio-Revolution: Thrilled to see BacAlt Biosciences raise $2M in a pre-seed round led by Avaana Capital! This isn’t just a funding round—it’s a strong signal that deep science + climate innovation is capturing serious investor interest. From a venture lens, here’s why this is a smart and strategic move: Disruptive Tech at the Core: BacAlt is reimagining how bio-based polymers and specialty ingredients are made—using lean, energy-efficient fermentation that enhances performance without contributing to microplastic pollution. In an era where sustainability is non-negotiable, this is core-tech with a clear mission. Massive Market Potential: Bio-alternatives are no longer niche. The global bio-based polymer market is projected to cross $20B+ by 2030, driven by regulatory tailwinds and consumer demand for green alternatives. BacAlt isn’t riding a trend—they’re building infrastructure for a new materials economy. Scalable, Global Ambition: With a focus on R&D scale-up, pilot production, and go-to-market strategy, BacAlt is laying the groundwork for international expansion from day one. That’s the kind of pre-seed maturity VCs love to see. Hats off to Avaana Capital for recognizing the potential in deep science climate innovation. This is how we build the future—by backing breakthrough technologies early and boldly. Co-founders Shruti Kutmutia and Dr. Pranav Nair bring scientific depth and entrepreneurial grit. Backing this team early is a classic case of "founders first" thinking—where the vision and execution capability align with a critical global need. #ClimateTech #DeepTech #SustainableMaterials #BioPolymers #VCPerspective #BacAltBiosciences #AvaanaCapital #FutureOfMaterials #GreenInnovation #PreSeedFunding

Without organizations like Change Chemistry, very few startups would get the attention they deserve. Battery technology, electric vehicles, and other clean technologies receive *way too* much attention. There are so many green chemistry companies solving real-world needs, right now. And yep, Lite-1 is one of those companies. 🤘🦠🧫 Roundtables, incubators, and accelerators are needed when everyday investors aren't funding the cleantech startups. Thank you, Change Chemistry. Let's make this week productive and show other industries we're here to play.

Effex will take part in the Trilateral Innovation Summit – United by Chemistry, on Monday, 29 September 2025 at Watt17 in Heusden‑Zolder, Belgium. The event is a high‑impact, cross‑border matchmaking platform rooted in the Trilateral Strategy for the Chemical Industry—a collaboration among Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine‑Westphalia. Its objective is to boost competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation across the European chemical sector. The program includes: · A plenary session with insights on bio-based innovation. · A keynote on EU projects turning lignin into applications from building foams to adhesives and sun creams. · Challenge Tables where companies present real innovation challenges. Effex will be present with Jose Núñez Ares hosting our table. · Thematic Tables on EU funding, Safe and Sustainable by Design, AI in process intensification, and the Interreg Meuse-Rhine programme. We look forward to connecting with peers and partners to explore how advanced experimental design can accelerate innovation in chemistry. https://lnkd.in/eXRShQ3P

Effex will take part in the Trilateral Innovation Summit – United by Chemistry, on Monday, 29 September 2025 at Watt17 in Heusden‑Zolder, Belgium. The event is a high‑impact, cross‑border matchmaking platform rooted in the Trilateral Strategy for the Chemical Industry—a collaboration among Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine‑Westphalia. Its objective is to boost competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation across the European chemical sector. The program includes: · A plenary session with insights on bio-based innovation. · A keynote on EU projects turning lignin into applications from building foams to adhesives and sun creams. · Challenge Tables where companies present real innovation challenges. Effex will be present with Jose Núñez Ares hosting our table. · Thematic Tables on EU funding, Safe and Sustainable by Design, AI in process intensification, and the Interreg Meuse-Rhine programme. We look forward to connecting with peers and partners to explore how advanced experimental design can accelerate innovation in chemistry. https://lnkd.in/ecVcS6RG

Most people don’t start a materials science company while training to be an accountant. But that’s exactly what Unreasonable Fellow Nuha Siddiqui did. While at the University of Toronto, she co-founded erthos® at just 20 years old, beginning with a project to turn agricultural waste into packaging. In the early days, Nuha and her team booked one-way tickets to Asia to learn directly from plastic manufacturers why other alternatives had failed. That experience shaped Erthos’ approach: create bio-based, compostable resins that perform like plastic but fit existing manufacturing systems without costly retooling. Building on that foundation, Erthos launched ZYA™ last year, an AI-powered platform that allows scientists and partners to design and optimise biomaterials in just 3–6 months. Combined with partnerships across global consumer brands, this work is helping to make sustainable materials the norm rather than the exception. Along the way, Nuha has been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 and Canada’s Governor General’s Innovation Award. More than accolades, it is her conviction that “we don’t have a lot of time” that continues to drive the company forward. 🔗 More on Nuha: https://lnkd.in/dS3UuPrP 🔗 More on erthos®: https://lnkd.in/etkygjkE

🌊 RheoMaTe project is thrilled to announce the launch of its official website! 🔬 The Rheology for Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies (RheoMaTe) project improves the understanding and processing of fiber-based biomaterials, important e.g. for eco-friendly packaging, textiles, and composites. The project tackles the complexity of these materials with improved measurement tools, AI models, and simulations to make handling easier, increase production efficiency, and support greener solutions. 💼 RheoMaTe is co-funded by Business Finland, VTT and 14 participating companies: ACA Systems Oy, AMBERTEC OY, AMT Systems Oy, Bellmer, EDRMedeso, Fiberwood Ltd, Mirka, Pixact Ltd, SPINNOVA®, Stressfield Oy, Sulzer, Valmet, Wetend Technologies Ltd, Xpyro. ♻️ RheoMaTe is part of Valmet's Beyond Circularity Ecosystem: https://lnkd.in/gQpfWN7v. 👉 Visit https://lnkd.in/gVPnpDMH to learn more about the project. #RheoMaTeProject #VTTBeyondTheObvious #Research #Innovation #Sustainability

XPyro partners with VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd) under RheoMaTe to ensure state-of-the art development work on the product rheology. #wildfires #longtermfireretardant #LTR

DATA4CIRC brings you the second instalment of its #blog series on #plastic - we've already explored the history and impacts of synthetic polymers, now it's time to dig a little deeper into the different kinds and what they're used for! 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: 💻 ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d-PYTNMS IDENER.AI IAT der RWTH Aachen University NTT DATA Europe & Latam Gruppo FOS Eco Recycling s.r.l. CETEC Centro Tecnológico del Calzado y del Plástico de la Región de Murcia GREEN WORLD COMPOUNDING SL Centro Ricerche Fiat Monolithos Catalysts & Recycling Ltd. EIT Manufacturing LOBA DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V. The University of Osaka #DATA4CIRC is an #EUfunded #research #project and part of the #MadeinEurope #thefutureofmanufacturing initiative. EFFRA European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA)