Source | JEC

After two pitching sessions, which took place on March 5th, JEC (Paris France) has announced the three winners for this year’s JEC Composites Startup Booster, a reference for entrepreneurship in the composites industry. Each year, 20 startups are selected to join JEC World stage and pitch their groundbreaking projects using composite materials before a panel of expert judges.

The winners are as follows:

Category: “Products & Materials”: Zila BioWorks (U.S.): Zila has developed a patented bio-epoxy resin for use in industrial composites, coatings and adhesives. The company has identified clear steps to a 60% reduction in carbon footprint compared to petroleum-based epoxies. Moreover, it says its vitrimer technology can help manufacturers deal with the end of life of their products. 

Category: “Process, Manufacturing & Equipment”: TechnoCarbon Technologies (France): TechnoCarbon designs, develops, manufactures and sells components and systems made of the sustainable, ultra-low-carbon composite materials to outperform steel and reinforced concrete. Its patented technologies enable deep decarbonization, lifetime extension, weight and environmental footprint reduction.

Sustainability Prize: BioHalo (Denmark): The company’s mission is to introduce bio-based materials that serve as safe, eco-friendly and high-performance replacements for harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

“Supporting this competition gives us the ability to identify innovations early in the key area of composites that we would not otherwise discover,” Jelle Bloemhof, head of composites manufacturing technologies at Airbus (Toulouse, France), states. “[The] JEC Startup Booster is just the first step toward broader collaboration opportunities. It facilitates an introduction between participants and industry end-users, providing the opportunity to engage directly and discuss. The diversity of ideas is inspiring, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”