SME Businesses Developing Biobased Products

Session Kindly Sponsored 

Commercialising a Natural Material – Sheep’s Wool

Woolcool, based in the UK, remains the only packaging company using a range of sheep’s wool-insulated packaging available on a commercial scale. This presentation will outline how the idea came about for the company and the company’s journey to where it is now.

Josie Morris MBE, Managing Director, Woolcool, England

Surf’s Up! Ride the Wave of New Biomaterials from Seaweed

Lalitha will talk about the potential of seaweed in the Irish bioeconomy and how seaweed-derived materials can be superior to the existing fossil fuel-derived materials that are currently used in personal care products, textiles, paints, coatings and biomedical applications. The focus of the presentation will be on the work on fractionation of seaweed at Celignis.

Dr Lalitha Gottumukkala, Chief Innovation Officer, Celignis, Ireland

Experiences in Developing a New Biobased Company in Ireland

Hexafly farms the black soldier fly using industrial food waste to make a range of high-quality protein derivatives for the animal, plant and cosmetic industries. This presentation will outline how a biobased Small Enterprise  develops in Ireland and provides advice to new biobased start-up companies.

Alvan Hunt, Co-founder and CEO, Hexafly, Ireland

Diversifying from Potato Growing to a Potato Starch Plant for Higher Value Uses

Meade Farm Group is a family business traditionally growing potatoes, carrots and onions. The company recently diversified into using the waste potatoes to produce starch, which can be used in many different areas. Cliona and Eleanor will outline how the idea for diversifying their business came about and what advice they have for other business looking to diversify into the biobased arena.

Cliona Costello and Eleanor Meade, Meade Farm Group, Ireland