ULUU needs to resolve the plastic disaster with seaweed • TechCrunch

ULUU believes the answer to the plastic disaster lies on the earth’s oceans. The Australian startup makes use of seaweed to create a plastic different and is planning to launch its first merchandise within the subsequent 12 to 24 months.

At present ULUU introduced it has raised $8 million AUD (about $5.3 million USD) led by Principal Sequence (the deep-tech fund launched by Australia’s nationwide science company) with participation from Albert Affect Ventures, Mistletoe and Attainable Ventures. Different traders by Principal Sequence’s social influence neighborhood Voice Capital included Melvin Benn, the managing director of Competition Republi, Nathan McLay, Australian unbiased music firm Future Basic, restauranteur Neil Perry AM, mannequin and philanthropist Karlie Kloss and Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker.

ULUU’s compostable polymer, referred to as polhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), is made by a fermentation course of that’s much like brewing beer, and allows the corporate to maintain its manufacturing course of clear. It’s made out of seaweed sugars, sea water and salt water microbes and has a sturdiness much like plastic, however is biodegradable and compostable.

Dr. Julia Reisser, who based ULUU together with Michael Kingsbury, instructed TechCrunch that she has a protracted historical past with plastics. Throughout her PhD research, she mapped microplastic air pollution inside Australian waters and acquired the thought for ULUU in 2019 whereas working at Australian businessman Andrew Forrest’s philanthropic group Minderoo Basis, analyzing how startups are coping with plastic air pollution.

Dr. Reisser researched how startups are created with out fossil fuels, however discovered that alternate options derived from sugar cane or corn (which PHAs will also be created from) have environmental challenges.

Kingsbury additionally labored at Minderoo, the place he was launched to Dr. Reisser whereas she was on the lookout for somebody with a business background to assist develop ULUU. The startup was launched in 2020 and raised $1.8 million the subsequent 12 months.

The most recent funding will likely be used on product growth and engineering R&D to scale the manufacturing of PHAs. ULUU at the moment plans to get its pilot plant facility operational within the subsequent 12 months, and begin to scale and check merchandise. It may be utilized in many industries, together with vogue, furnishings and packaging.

ULUU plans to cement partnerships with main shopper manufacturers, and it’ll choose one or two to work on a pilot challenge. ULUU will work towards establishing business relationships within the vogue sector, with the objective of serving to manufacturers develop merchandise which are made with ULUU and are each carbon damaging and marine biodegradable. Its funding from trade figures like Kloss and Parker will assist them make vital connections within the vogue and wonder trade, Kingsbury stated.

“We’re exploring potential alternatives in sustainable vogue, altering the house one step at a time,” stated Kingsbury. “It’s now not cool to have solely the perfect design and lower on the subject of the garments we put on—individuals are beginning to care concerning the supplies behind them.”

Though 60% of fibers utilized in garments are artificial, derived from fossil fuels and trigger microplastic air pollution, Kingsbury famous that many manufacturers are beginning to take a look at extra environmentally-friendly alternate options. These embrace Patagonia, which plans to make use of solely renewable or recycled supplies of their merchandise by 2025.