AkzoNobel announces finalists for Imagine Chemistry start-up challenge

24-Apr-2017 - Netherlands

AkzoNobel announces the 20 finalists for itsImagine Chemistry initiative, which was launched earlier this year to help solve real-life chemistry-related challenges and to uncover sustainable opportunities for the company's specialty chemicals business.

"We've received so many great ideas from all across the globe for novel chemistries and business concepts, ranging from new sources of bio-based products to potential breakthrough ideas for the circular economy," said Peter Nieuwenhuizen, Global R&D Director for AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals.

"It has been a challenge making a selection but we believe these final 20 all hold great potential to address customer needs and contribute to a safer, more sustainable world.  This shows that there is tremendous innovation potential, even in seemingly mature chemistries. We look forward to working with the eventual winners to turn their ideas into a commercial reality with real global impact."

The finalists for the five Imagine Chemistry and two "open challenge" categories are:

Revolutionizing plastics recycling

Adriana Pineda, Cadel Deinking

Spain

Emile Clement, FiliGrade B.V

The Netherlands

Jack Buffington, University of Denver

USA

Waste water-free chemical sites

Steve Furlong, Drystill

Canada

Steven De Laet, InOpSys

Belgium

Guido Mul, University of Twente - Enschede

The Netherlands

Cellulose-based alternatives to synthetics

Lindy Hensen, PeelPioneers

The Netherlands

Gertjan de Jong, MISCQ

The Netherlands

Andrew Mwangi , Aquabax Enterprises

Kenya

Charles Sanderson, Renmatix

USA

Bio-based and biodegradable surfactants and thickeners

Dan Derr , Logos Technologies

USA

Jeremy Minty, Ecovia Renewables Inc.

USA

Ben Dolman, The University of Manchester

UK

Bio-based sources of ethylene and ethylene oxides

Derek Greenfield, Industrial Microbes

USA

William Mackintosh, RISE

Sweden

Highly Reactive Chemistry and Technology

Mark Mascal, University of California Davis

USA

Sustainable alternatives to our current technologies

Sasa Marinic, ANTECY

The Netherlands

Brian Miller, uFraction8

UK

Mark Randall, T2 Energy

USA

Christoph Winkle, University of Graz

Austria

The finalists will now participate in a three-day event starting June 1 at AkzoNobel's research facility in Deventer, the Netherlands, where they will be supported by RD&I and business development experts to further develop their business ideas and concepts.

The challenge, organized in partnership with KPMG, is the latest in a series of efforts by AkzoNobel to focus on open innovation and startup firms. The company recently announced cooperation with start-up organizations Lux Research and Start-up Delta focused on developing new business opportunities stemming from the challenge.

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