They work to promote a more sustainable world in which paper is not made from trees and plastic is completely biodegradable, and produce cellulose from food waste material and a plastic-like film from the shell of crustaceans. This is the goal of Greta Colombo Dugoni and Monica Ferro, co-founders of Bi-rex and researchers in the chemical sector, winners of Motherland.
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Greta and Monica responded to the call for the Motherland Award launched from the Palco di Smeraldo in October 2022 by Eataly in partnership with Plenitude, Eni's Benefit Company, and with the collaboration of Angels for Women, a reference player founded by AXA Italia and Impact Hub SB and the first group of Italian Business Angels dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship with female leadership.
“We are happy to reward a project whose final applications can also be strategic for our sector of expertise – comments Sabrina Torti, Head of partnership, Eataly – Attention to the use of resources and the environment produces challenges that today they can finally win. The new generations, in this case of women, are a hope!”
The Motherland Award was born with the intention of highlighting the commitment of women in the food and wine sector and helping a young company to continue on its path of research or optimization of results. 38 startups led by young women applied, from 8 different Italian regions, heard by jurors with different skills in the startup, corporate and ESG fields. In the jury: Andrea Lippolis, Founder & Chief Executive Officer VitaMeals, Julia Lopez Varela, Co-founder Ultrazul, Silvia Pugi ESG Executive – Business Angel, Stefania Quaini, Managing Director A4W, Valentina Raffaelli, Chef, designer, author, Sabrina Torti, Head of Partnership Eataly.
47% of the startups that took on the tender are involved in product planning, 37% in technology and 16% in services, all in the agri-food field.
The shortlist of three finalists included the startup Komposta, with the project of electromechanical composters for the transformation of organic waste and Biova, which studies and produces food products from unsold and food processing surpluses, to whom congratulations go from Eataly and best wishes to continue in the search and in the achievement of the objectives.
“From a tree that takes ten years to grow, only a thousand rolls of toilet paper are obtained, the standard consumption of 4 people in a year – explains Monica Ferro – Our need for paper is not sustainable, we need to find alternative sources. With our patented process we start from waste from the food chain, we process them and obtain cellulose that can be used in the world of paper for various applications.”
Bi-rex technology makes it possible to obtain disposable paper and packaging starting from citrus, coffee, beer and many other wastes. With the same technology it is possible to obtain a biodegradable plastic film that can be used to prolong the freshness and life of fruit and vegetables, always with a view to reducing food waste.
“We were pleased to receive the Motherland award and tell the jury about our project and the path to get here - says Greta Colombo Dugoni - Perhaps it was not obvious that two chemistry graduates would become two entrepreneurs but the project overwhelmed us. When we received the first feedback from the market, we started working full time to build the startup and create the first sustainable materials and objects."
“The goal is disruptive – they say – to use our cellulose fibers for the massive use of disposable paper. Advice to female entrepreneurs: don't lose enthusiasm, always remember the original idea and don't give up. Finally, inspire the new generations.”