From breakthrough to buy-in: how packaging start-ups design for adoption

From biodegradability to commercial viability, how are emerging materials innovators tackling performance, recyclability, industrial compatibility and cost? Zhanar Baishakova, venture partner and co-founder of Investor Ready Lab, goes into detail.

Zhanar is speaking at the Sustainable Packaging Summit, which will take place at the Jaarbeurs Event & Exhibition Centre in Utrecht on 10 – 12 November. Tickets are still available – click here to register now.

A new material might perform brilliantly in the lab. But what happens when a converter asks whether it will run on existing equipment? Or when a brand wants to know if it can compete with polyethylene on cost? These are exactly the kinds of questions that can make or break a sustainable packaging innovation.

Through my mentorship work with MassChallenge Switzerland, a global, equity-free accelerator connecting start-ups with corporate partners, industry experts and investors, I've had the opportunity to work with some fascinating materials innovators. And one thing I've noticed is how their approach to sustainability is changing.

For years, many start-ups focused their value proposition on replacing fossil-based plastics with bio-based, biodegradable or compostable alternatives. These attributes still matter, of course. But today, they're rarely enough to convince a customer to switch.

The start-ups I find most interesting are increasingly designing their solutions around four practical conditions for adoption:

• performance without compromise,
• a credible end-of-life pathway,
• compatibility with existing equipment, and
• economics approaching incumbent solutions.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is adding another layer of urgency. Biodegradability alone does not guarantee regulatory compliance, while recyclability and compatibility with existing waste-management systems are becoming increasingly important.

Not every start-up has achieved all four conditions yet. But what I find encouraging is that founders are starting to think about them much earlier, rather than discovering these challenges when they approach their first industrial customers.

Four start-ups I've come across through MassChallenge illustrate this shift particularly well. They are tackling very different problems and are at different stages of commercialisation, but each offers an interesting perspective on what it takes to move from a promising material to something the industry is ready to adopt.

Smart Planet Technologies: recyclable barrier coatings already reaching billions of packages

One of the persistent challenges with paper-based packaging is that the coatings we add to provide moisture and grease resistance can also make the packaging more difficult to recycle.

US-based Smart Planet Technologies develops recyclable barrier-coating solutions for paper-based packaging, targeting applications from foodservice to flexible packaging.

Smart Planet has developed and commercialised EarthCoating, a mineral-enriched polymer coating designed to maintain packaging functionality while improving fibre recyclability.

And this is not just a technology still looking for its first commercial application. Smart Planet reports that more than 3 billion packaging units using EarthCoating have already been brought to market, including beverage cups, foodservice trays, folding cartons and flexible packaging.

Performance. EarthCoating is a proprietary mineralized resin made with 51% calcium carbonate that provides moisture and grease resistance alongside heat-seal performance. Rather than eliminating polymer altogether, it reduces the amount needed while maintaining the essential functionality of conventional coatings.

End of life. Here's where it gets particularly interesting. The mineral content changes how the coating behaves during paper recycling. Instead of forming conventional plastic films or flakes, EarthCoating is designed to break into small, dense particles that can be separated from paper fibres during repulping, much like mineral and clay coatings already used in paper manufacturing.

A reported independent assessment of an EarthCoating-lined paper cup achieved 95% recyclability and 100% fibre recovery. The packaging has also received a Path 13 paper-and-cardboard recycling classification from Institut cyclos-HTP, rather than being classified as a paper composite.

And there are practical examples beyond testing. EarthCoating-lined cups have already been recycled into commercial products, including gift wrap for Hallmark and copy paper for Australian Paper.

This is exactly the kind of evidence brands and converters will increasingly need as PPWR brings more demanding recyclability requirements.

Drop-in compatibility. Another important advantage is that EarthCoating can run on conventional extrusion-coating and converting equipment. For manufacturers, this means changing the material rather than investing in an entirely new production process.

Economics. Replacing part of the polymer resin with lower-cost calcium carbonate also helps the economics. Smart Planet positions its formulations as cost-competitive with conventional polyolefin coatings and more affordable than many alternative bio-based resins.

And Smart Planet is not stopping there. The company is also developing HyperBarrier Coating, a nanocomposite technology designed to bring much higher oxygen-barrier performance to paper packaging. Smart Planet reports up to 200 times better oxygen-barrier performance compared with conventional polyolefin coatings, potentially replacing aluminium foil and metallised layers in applications such as coffee pouches, snack bags and pet food packaging.

The technology is also designed to provide moisture, grease and aroma barriers while remaining repulpable in conventional paper mills. When it is validated in finished commercial packaging structures, this could open up opportunities for recyclable paper-based alternatives in applications that traditionally rely on complex multilayer materials.

What I find particularly compelling is how Smart Planet combines an established commercial technology with a pipeline of new developments, moving from recyclable moisture and grease barriers towards more demanding packaging applications traditionally dominated by multilayer structures.

BioZein: making a forgotten natural polymer commercially relevant

Sometimes innovation isn't about discovering something new. It's about finally making something we've known for decades commercially viable. That's the opportunity being pursued by Hong Kong-based BioZein, which is making zein, a naturally occurring corn protein, more accessible and affordable for coating developers and packaging manufacturers.

Zein has actually been used for decades in food and pharmaceutical applications, including encapsulation and edible coatings. It also has some very interesting film-forming properties, including grease and oxygen-barrier potential, which could make it useful for paper-based packaging.

So why haven't we seen it widely used in packaging coatings?

The main obstacles have been high extraction costs, limited commercial availability and processing challenges. Conventional zein films can be brittle, and processing often involves alcohol-based solvents, making industrial application more complex.

This is where BioZein's innovation lies: making a well-known natural polymer commercially accessible by addressing those historical cost and supply barriers.

There's also a nice resource-efficiency story behind it. BioZein extracts zein from corn gluten meal, a by-product of corn-starch processing traditionally used in animal feed, turning an existing agricultural stream into a higher-value functional material.

Performance. Zein offers useful film-forming and grease-resistant properties, along with oxygen-barrier potential under suitable conditions. Like many natural polymers, though, its performance depends on the formulation, particularly when it comes to moisture sensitivity, flexibility and processing behaviour.

The opportunity for packaging lies in applications such as food wrappers, coated paper and other fibre-based formats requiring thin functional barriers.

It's important to make one distinction here: BioZein primarily manufactures and supplies zein as a functional raw material. Its customers and partners develop their own coating formulations and finished packaging applications.

BioZein has also started developing its own coatings, although these are still at an early stage and need further testing and validation.

End of life. Being a bio-based and biodegradable protein gives zein an interesting starting point. But for paper-based packaging, the real question is whether the finished coating can be recycled together with the paper.

That will need to be demonstrated for each final formulation, especially as PPWR places more emphasis on material recyclability rather than biodegradability claims alone.

Integration into existing packaging technologies. Unlike a ready-to-use drop-in coating, zein is an ingredient that needs to be incorporated into a customer's formulation and manufacturing process.

Things like adhesion, drying conditions, coating weight and production speed will all need to be worked through with coating developers and converters.

Economics. This is where BioZein is making its strongest contribution. Through its patented extraction technology and industrial manufacturing infrastructure, the company reports annual production capacity exceeding 250 tonnes and prices up to 60% below conventional zein market levels.

That doesn't mean zein-based coatings have already reached price parity with polyethylene. But it does remove an important historical barrier and creates new opportunities for companies developing sustainable coating solutions.

BioZein was also recognised as the Sustainable Materials Grand Winner at MassChallenge's 2026 Sustainable Food & Materials Challenge.

For me, it's a good reminder that we don't always need to invent an entirely new polymer. Sometimes, the bigger opportunity is making an existing one accessible enough for industry to finally use it.

Ignition Packaging: replacing EPS without replacing the tooling

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is difficult to replace for good reasons: it's lightweight, provides excellent cushioning and is inexpensive.

US-based Ignition Packaging is taking on this challenge with BioFoam, a cellulose-based protective material made from agricultural residues. What caught my attention is that the company has already demonstrated its technology on existing manufacturing equipment at pilot scale, without changing the tooling.

That's a meaningful step towards making the technology commercially attractive.

Performance. BioFoam is designed to provide the lightweight structure, mechanical strength and cushioning required to protect fragile products, including electronics and consumer goods.

Of course, it still needs to demonstrate consistent shock absorption, compression resistance and dimensional stability at scale under real shipping and storage conditions, but early pilot tests give confidence.

End of life. BioFoam is made from cellulose derived from agricultural residues and is being developed as a biodegradable and compostable alternative to conventional foams.

What's particularly promising is its potential to be recycled through existing paper and cardboard streams. That could provide a more practical and scalable end-of-life pathway than composting alone. However, repulpability and recyclability still need to be tested and validated. When confirmed, this would strengthen Ignition's positioning in the context of PPWR's recyclability requirements.

Drop-in compatibility. The successful pilot-scale demonstration without tooling changes is an important achievement. It suggests converters could potentially introduce BioFoam without major equipment investment. The next step is to demonstrate consistent production performance and efficiency at commercial scale.

Economics. Agricultural residues offer a potentially attractive low-cost feedstock. Ignition is targeting price competitiveness with conventional synthetic foams, although actual costs will depend on manufacturing yields, energy consumption, density and scale.

And ultimately, customers will compare the total cost of protecting and delivering a product, not simply the price per kilogram of foam.

What I like about Ignition's approach is that it tackles one of the biggest barriers to adoption: the cost and disruption of changing manufacturing processes.

Sometimes innovation becomes much more attractive when customers don't have to change everything around it.

Namalab: replacing the hidden fossil-based polymers in food packaging

Not all fossil-based polymers in packaging are immediately visible. Take the absorbent pads underneath fresh meat and poultry, which typically contain superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) made from fossil-derived polyacrylates. They perform their function well, but replacing them with renewable alternatives could offer significant sustainability benefits.

Mexico-based Namalab is tackling this challenge with plant-based superabsorbent materials designed to deliver comparable performance. And the technology is already moving beyond the lab, with ongoing pilots involving food-packaging and hygiene manufacturers to validate its performance in real applications.

Performance. Namalab has demonstrated in laboratory tests that its plant-based SAP delivers absorption and liquid-retention performance on par with conventional synthetic polymers. For fresh-food packaging, this creates opportunities to manage liquid release, prevent leakage and maintain product presentation. The company is also exploring the incorporation of natural antibacterial agents into absorbent pads, potentially adding a food-preservation benefit. These capabilities are now being evaluated through ongoing customer pilots.

End of life. Namalab's bio-based, biodegradable and compostable material could open up different end-of-life possibilities depending on the application.

Compostability may be particularly interesting for certain food-soiled packaging components and hygiene products, where conventional recycling is often impractical.

Of course, the finished product needs to be considered, not just the absorbent material. Other components, such as adhesives, as well as local waste-management infrastructure, will determine whether composting is a realistic option.

For packaging applications, this will also need to be assessed against relevant PPWR requirements.

Drop-in compatibility. Namalab is developing its material with existing manufacturing processes in mind. This is particularly important for hygiene manufacturers, whose high-speed production lines are highly optimised and expensive to modify.

The ongoing pilots with hygiene and food-packaging companies are an opportunity to demonstrate how well the material integrates into existing processes and what adjustments, if any, are required.

Economics. Namalab's cost-efficient production process holds promise for delivering plant-based absorbents with performance and pricing competitive with conventional synthetic SAPs, creating attractive opportunities for absorbent pads in fresh-food packaging and hygiene products such as diapers and sanitary pads.

I find Namalab interesting because it shows that sustainable packaging innovation isn't always about replacing the main packaging material. Sometimes, replacing a relatively small but functionally critical component can also make a difference.

The missing ingredient: access to the value chain

One challenge I see repeatedly through mentoring is that start-ups know their technology inside out, but often lack visibility into what really drives customer adoption.

A conversation with a converter may reveal that line speed matters more than an incremental barrier improvement. A brand may prioritise supply reliability over bio-based content. These insights can fundamentally change a start-up's development priorities.

This is where open innovation and accelerators such as MassChallenge make a difference. Through partnerships with companies including Mars, SIG, Bühler, Givaudan and dsm-firmenich, MassChallenge Switzerland connects start-ups with potential customers, technical experts and investors.

For start-ups, this means earlier validation, faster learning and opportunities for pilots and commercial partnerships. For corporates, it opens access to emerging technologies beyond their internal R&D pipelines.

The real value goes beyond matchmaking. It's about bringing the right people together early enough to turn promising technologies into solutions the industry actually needs.

From breakthrough to buy-in

Years of working in the packaging industry, and now mentoring materials start-ups, have taught me one thing: the real breakthrough isn't just developing a more sustainable material. It's making it commercially viable at scale.

What encourages me is that more founders seem to understand this from the beginning. They're thinking beyond sustainability claims and asking tougher questions about performance, end of life, manufacturing compatibility and economics.

Of course, not every new material can deliver perfect performance or price parity from day one. Some applications will justify a premium, and emerging technologies need time to mature.

But start-ups that understand industrial constraints early, and engage with the companies that will ultimately use their materials, have a much better chance of moving beyond pilot projects.

The future of sustainable packaging will be shaped not just by what start-ups invent, but by how effectively the industry helps bring those innovations to market.

So, to brands, converters and material suppliers: don't just wait for the next breakthrough. Help make it happen!

If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:

The ultimate guide to global packaging sustainability regulation in 2026

PPWR timeline: the key dates to know

A closer look at the most innovative packaging solutions

Strategic learnings from the Sustainable Packaging Summit