The traceless bioeconomy startup receives millions in funding from the Federal Ministry for the Environment

Non-trading materials in the emerging field of bioeconomics have developed an eco-friendly, nature-based alternative to plastic. The company produces traceless® bio-compostable material from vegetable residues from industrial grain processing. For the first large-scale implementation of the innovative technology, the company plans to set up a pilot plant at the Hamburg site. This aims to replace several thousand tons of conventional plastic each year and thus significantly reduce carbon dioxide₂– Emissions, fossil resources, water and farmland are saved.

The project is funded with around 5 million euros from the Environmental Innovation Program of the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV). Now Parliamentary Minister of State d. Bettina Hoffmann examined the support of the company’s founders. In her statement, Dr. said. Bettina Hoffmann recognized the great potential of the project and recognized the outstanding and untraceable work for the environment and for Germany as an industrial site.

Joanna Barr, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer: “In order to make a real contribution to solving the problem of plastic pollution and the climate crisis, we need to produce our materials on an industrial scale. The planned demonstration production facility is the next step in this journey and funding is an essential contribution to financing it.”

Ann Lamb, Co-Founder and CEO: “Experts from the Department of the Environment and the Federal Environment Agency have validated extensively whether our technology is indeed contributing to environmental protection. The funding commitment is great confirmation of this.”

Plastic is at the heart of the environmental challenges of our time. Not only do they leave visible traces of global plastic pollution, but their costly production from fossil resources also contributes significantly to the climate crisis. As part of a sustainable and recyclable economy, Bioeconomy offers a solution: instead of fossil resources, renewable raw materials are used and processed into bio-based products using environmentally friendly processes.

The start-up company Traceless Materials GmbH has developed a new bioeconomy technology: a natural bio-material is produced from plant waste from grain processing as an alternative to plastic. Traceless® is fully bio-based, certified organic, home-compostable and plastic-free. By using plant residues, valuable biomass resources are preserved. The patent-pending technology is based on natural polymers, contains no potentially harmful substances and has a minimal environmental footprint: compared to plastic, 91% of carbon dioxide is emitted in production and disposal₂ Emissions and 89% of fossil energy requirements were saved.

The company produces traceless® in the form of granules that can be further processed using standard techniques in the plastics and packaging industries. The material can be used in a variety of finished products – from molded parts and flexible films to paper coatings and adhesives.

Founded in 2020, the company is already producing Traceless® materials on a trial scale. With the aim of replacing plastic in large quantities soon, the capacities are being expanded on an industrial scale. The planned plant will demonstrate for the first time that the innovative process can be implemented on an industrial scale. In parallel with the technological expansion, the team of 30 is developing experimental products made of Traceless® material with its customers and partners.

Thanks to its innovative solution, the company is funded by the European Union as part of the EIC Accelerator. In addition, he has already received several awards, including the German Founder’s Award and the German Sustainability Award / Next Economy Award.