Tag: Startups

Coffee grounds have much to offer. So too waste from fruit, vegetables or nuts, as shown by the female founder of an American startup. Using specially developed refining technology, waste from agricultural farms and food plants is put to good use. Key to the enterprise is the polarity of water, along with pressure and temperature changes. The process enables...

Environmentally-friendly pesticides rely on plant scents or pheromones produced by female insects. With its automatic sensor solution, meanwhile, an Australian startup is focusing on fungal infestation so that agricultural firms can react to the issue in good time. The team's solar-powered system is installed in fields and operates autonomously for up to 2 years. A small fan directs ambient...

Some vehicles move easily between road and rail. Meanwhile, a Portuguese startup has developed a light EV for on- and off-road driving. The reason? Its founder, the owner of an upmarket country hotel, deemed golf-carts too uncomfortable for his guests. With its aluminium frame, polymer body and waterproof soft-top, the four-seater weighs only 450kg. A low centre of gravity...

Nosy smart home devices can be controlled. Free browsers and search engines collect huge amounts of data and create detailed profiles in order to benefit from targeted advertising. Which is why a California-based startup has developed alternatives for protecting users’ private spheres. Their software neither saves search queries nor connects them to the user account. Search results are free...

CO2 can be stored in construction waste. Now, a female-founded Bristol startup is lowering emissions by transforming biological waste from industry and agriculture into building materials. Key here: a pilot factory in Lisbon, where the waste is mixed with adapted fungus cells and sustainable chemicals, before being processed in closed-loop and automatised systems. After four weeks, the material is...

Some cosmetic containers can be composted at home. Following a similar idea, a Spanish startup has developed an ultra-thin, biodegradable packaging film from plant-based starch, which is certified for home composting. Despite being only 7 micrometres thick, the thermoplastic substitute for fossil-based film is mechanically tearproof at 114N/mm2 and manufacturing costs are comparable to traditional polyethylene products. A patent...

A smart vice is making laptops safe from theft. In Spain, meanwhile, a startup has developed a flexible bike lock comprising three cables, which help secure both saddle and wheels. All three cables are connected to a central, mechanised lock. The core consists of a braided steel cable, which is enclosed by short, hardened, interlocking steel sleeves. Those, again,...

Tomato waste can protect tinned food. Meanwhile another Italian startup is aiming to extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables - using waste from liquorice production. Certain materials in the ‘sweet root’ are effective against bacteria, viruses and fungal spores. In a patented process, root hairs from the plant are extracted then converted into nanoparticles, which are used...