Sustainable Chemistry on Stage: Global Start-ups Drive Change at Impact Festival
Focus on innovations in sustainable chemistry and climate change
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Ten international start-ups will present their groundbreaking solutions in the field of sustainable chemistry at the ISC3 Investor Forum 2025. The seventh edition will be held as part of the Impact Festival on 26–27 November 2025 at Messe Frankfurt. The event will culminate with the Award Ceremony of the ISC3 Innovation Challenge – this year dedicated to innovations in Sustainable Chemistry and climate change. The winner will receive the main prize of €15,000, alongside two “Special Impact Awards” of €5,000 each. Hosted by the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3), the Investor Forum promises an inspiring two-day programme highlighting how Sustainable Chemistry can drive transformative change across industries and regions. Visitors will discover a range of innovations advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation – from chemical recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics in Luxembourg and Japan, to climate-smart building panels in Azerbaijan, long-range electric vehicles in Bangladesh, and women-empowering biomass solutions in Zambia. Other breakthroughs include bio-butadiene production (to produce synthetic rubber, plastics, and everyday products) in the Netherlands, low-carbon concrete in Ghana, renewable aviation fuels in Germany, and soil-enhancing nanofibers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Ten finalists of the ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2025 compete for a total of €25,000 in prize money in the finals at the ISC3 Investor Forum
ISC3
Harnessing Impact Investment for Sustainable Chemistry Innovation
The ISC3 Investor Forum connects start-ups, scientists, investors, and decision-makers to foster collaboration and investment in Sustainable Chemistry.
“We are excited to host the ISC3 Investor Forum at Impact Festival for the second time," said Dr. Alexis Bazzanella, Director of the ISC3 Innovation Hub.
"With this year’s topic, ‘Sustainable Chemistry and Climate Change,’ the forum showcases start-ups tackling challenges like waste, energy supply, and carbon emissions, providing innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”
Over two days, visitors can look forward to pitches from ten global start-ups, an investor talk, and a masterclass on Identifying Sustainability in Chemical Innovation.
Vote for the Audience Award!
Be part of the decision: attend the pitches of the ISC3 Innovation Challenge finalists on Innovation Stage on 26 November and vote for your favourite start-up via the ISC3 Audience Award poll link. The winner will be announced on 27 November, 2025, during the Award Ceremony on the Transformation Stage.
The 2025 ISC3 Innovation Challenge Finalists
(Alphabetical order)
- AC Biode (Japan/Luxembourg): AC Biode’s Plastalyst enables low-temperature, solvent-free chemical recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics into useful outputs like monomers, hydrogen, and methanol.
- CLIMASEL (Azerbaijan): CLIMASEL develops bio-based phase-change material panels that absorb heat during the day and release it at night, helping regulate indoor temperatures and reduce cooling energy use.
- ClimEtSan-OnTheGround GmbH (Germany): ClimEtSan-OnTheGround implements circular climate projects that integrate clean cooking, eco-sanitation, and biochar fertilizer production, while enabling carbon offsetting (emission compensation through external projects) or insetting (emission reduction within a company’s own supply chain) for global companies.
- ETB Global B.V. (Netherlands): ETB developed a process to produce bio-butadiene, a key building block for plastics, rubber and other chemicals compositions, with high conversion and selectivity from bioethanol.
- Palki Motors Limited (Bangladesh): Palki Motors designs and manufactures long-range electric cars featuring innovative fast battery swap technology to offer affordable, sustainable urban mobility in Bangladesh.
- Power2Polymers (Germany): Power2Polymers develops cost-effective, more sustainable high-performance polymers by integrating a novel building block (POM), cutting carbon footprints by up to 40%.
- Spark e-Fuels GmbH (Germany): Spark e-Fuels produces renewable, carbon-neutral synthetic fuels using renewable electricity and CO₂ to accelerate the defossilisation of aviation.
- Theseus Development (Ghana): Theseus Development produces geopolymer based concrete, delivering low carbon and high performance building materials for affordable and resilient housing.
- VerdiSol (United Arab Emirates): VerdiSol transforms agri-food waste into nanofibers to boost soil health, water retention, and sustainable farming in arid regions.
- Virgin Green Renewable Energy Limited (Zambia): Virgin Green converts biomass waste into charcoal briquettes, improved cook stoves, and wood vinegar, empowering local women entrepreneurs while reducing CO₂ emissions and deforestation.
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