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May has numerous events planned this year, such as Biovaria and Science4Life Techweek, which we discuss in more detail in the podcast. But many other events can also add value to founders in the coming weeks. Our event calendar provides an overview.
The Sustainable Development Goals
In this episode we approach the topic of sustainability through the Sustainable Development Goals We'll explore the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and attempt to structure the broad field covered by the term. Starting at minute 2:00, we'll examine the development of the SDGs, beginning with their predecessors, the Millennium Development Goals. We'll then take a closer look at some of the 17 SDGs, such as the goals "End Poverty" and "Sustainable and Modern Energy for All."
The Sustainable Development Goals came into force on January 1, 2016, and are to be achieved by 2030. In Germany, they were included in the political agenda by the Federal Government in 2017 with the German Sustainability Strategy.
Chocolate without cocoa and meat without animals
An important part of the SDGs consists of goals that revolve around sustainable consumption and production practices and the associated protection of soils, water bodies, and ecosystems. A wide variety of substitute products can make an important contribution here, as the example of Qoa from minute 4:35. The Munich-based startup wants to replace cocoa in chocolate. To do this, the company, founded in 2021, ferments and roasts byproducts from the food industry to imitate the taste and texture of chocolate. If Qoa succeeds in realigning the supply chains of chocolate production with its product, it would not only save large amounts of CO2 – according to the University of Manchester Up to 4.15 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released per kilogram of chocolate. Deforestation of the rainforest for additional cocoa plantations would also be curbed.
Alternatives are also discussed at Sunbloom Proteins (from minute 7:00). As the startup's name suggests, the Munich-based company produces plant proteins from sunflowers to replace animal proteins in dairy products or meat, for example. The company, founded in 2016 as a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) in Freising, acts as a supplier to the industry. The flour, with a protein content of around 60 percent, that Sunbloom Proteins produces at its factory in Drégelypalánk, Hungary, is supplied to Zentis and Ehrmann, among others. Both companies also invested in the startup.
More sustainability for clothing and cosmetics
Of course, the topic of sustainability doesn't just affect food. The textile industry, and especially the "fast fashion" category, is also considered problematic. The startup Re-Shirt (from minute 10:00) aims to make a contribution here, particularly with regard to the waste of resources. The problem that the two founders, Emmy Schumacher and Anna Hadzelek, are addressing is t-shirts printed for one-off events such as trade fairs or team events. These often simply end up in the trash. To prevent this, Re-Shirt has developed a reversible printing technology that makes it easy to reuse the shirts. Re-Shirt customers don't buy these products, but simply rent them temporarily. Those who want to keep them long-term can also purchase permanently printed t-shirts. In both cases, however, the startup relies on used goods.
Large parts of the cosmetics industry also operate in a less sustainable manner, as very few products are still available in sustainable packaging. And when this is the case, other aspects such as biodegradable ingredients are ignored. At least, this was the conclusion reached by the Junglückfounder Benedikt Klarmann when he founded his startup in 2016. Since then, Junglück has been producing cosmetics without additives such as fragrances, microplastics, parabens, or silicones and selling them in packaging made from recycled materials. You can hear more about the startup starting at minute 12:05.
Nucleus Capital
With Nucleus Capital In this episode, we take a closer look at a relatively young investor (starting at minute 14:25). The Berlin-based VC was only officially founded in 2021. However, co-founder Isabella Fandrych had previously worked as an angel investor, which is why she was able to incorporate some of her investments into the new VC. Nucleus Capital now focuses on early-stage startups in the fields of synthetic biology, climate technology, and food technology.
