SUZANO-VENTURES
24.4.2024 09:02:29 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Suzano Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Suzano, the world’s largest market pulp producer, has made a strategic investment into the Canadian materials science startup, Bioform Technologies. The investment provides up to US$5 million towards the company’s seed round, enabling it to accelerate the development of its novel bio-based plastic alternatives. The products can be manufactured through modified industrial processes already used in the pulp and paper sector.
Bioform’s proprietary technology rapidly produces wood pulp-reinforced hydrogels to create high-performance plastic alternatives, which can be made using Suzano’s wood pulp fibre as a key input. Bioform’s materials have the potential to be home compostable or recycled through existing paper recycling processes and do not require fossil-based inputs. The technology is highly versatile and has a number of applications where it could replace conventional single-use plastics, including paper recyclable thermoformable films for packaging applications and compostable heat-sealable films for pouches, agriculture, and garbage bags.
With the potential to offer an 80 percent lower carbon footprint than conventional single-use plastics, Bioform’s technology has similar or enhanced product performance to conventional plastics in areas such as tensile strength and permeability for oxygen or water vapor.
Chris Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Bioform Technologies, said:
“Our goal is to produce sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics at the speed of paper and at the cost of plastic. We are harnessing the speed and efficiency of pulp and paper manufacturing to make swift and impactful steps into the marketplace. The technical validation and strategic investment from Suzano Ventures gives us a link to the world’s largest market pulp producer. We can also access Suzano’s world-leading expertise to help us rapidly accelerate the production efficiencies and cost reductions needed to make a significant reduction in the reliance on single-use plastics.”
Paula Puzzi, Senior Manager at Suzano Ventures, said:
“We’ve looked closely at Bioform’s technology and we see great promise in their technology and ability to disrupt the industry. Around the world, there are a number of innovations being developed that each offer more sustainable alternatives to the mountains of single-use plastic that we throw away each year, polluting our cities and soils, rivers, and seas. The great challenge is scaling production and getting to cost competitiveness versus cheap single-use plastic. By using renewable material and harnessing established industrial processes and machinery from the pulp and paper sector, we believe that Bioform has the opportunity to disrupt established supply chains and rapidly replace the need for fossil-based materials.”
Bioform has previously raised US$2.4 million from direct investments and US$1.2 million from non-dilutive sources to streamline its technology and validate performance and processes in its labs. This funding from Suzano Ventures will enable the company to realize a demonstration facility to pilot its manufacturing process and expand its team and capabilities.
Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Suzano is the world’s largest market pulp producer and one of Latin America’s largest paper manufacturers. Producing its pulp entirely from farmed eucalyptus, the company’s products reach over 2 billion people around the world in over 100 countries. Suzano has had a presence in Canada since 2015, with a large research and development center for pulp, paper, and biomaterials technologies located in Vancouver.
About Suzano Ventures
Suzano Ventures is the venture capital arm of Suzano, the world’s largest market pulp producer - the key raw material for paper and packaging products that are part of the lives of more than 2 billion people around the world in over 100 countries. We invest globally in businesses that are pioneering innovative approaches to harness the power of trees, to help build the future of the bioeconomy.
We are committing an initial US$70 million to support the development and growth of companies across four investment areas: novel applications for eucalyptus biomaterials, sustainable packaging, forestry technology, and carbon removal. We help startups to grow, which in turn have the potential to develop and help shape the future of Suzano’s business.
Our strategic investments deliver shared value. By placing science at the heart of business, we help early-stage startups to grow, which, in turn, have the potential to develop and help shape the future of Suzano's business.
We provide our portfolio companies with capital, technical expertise, and market insights, alongside access to our global operations, supply chain and customer base. This includes the ability to engage with our hundreds of scientists, engineers, and technologists, based at Suzano’s research centers and operations across four continents.
About Bioform Technologies
Founded in 2021, Bioform has developed a proprietary method to manufacture plastic alternatives based on wood pulp reinforced hydrogels at high speeds by modifying existing pulp and paper making machinery. The manufacturing process has a low carbon footprint and can produce highly versatile materials to replace a wide range of single use plastics. Bioform has developed both compostable and paper-recyclable films that can be heat sealed or thermoformed depending on the application.
Bioform’s core technology was developed at the University of British Columbia by co-founders Jordan MacKenzie, the company’s current CTO, and Mark Martinez, Professor, Bio-Products Institute, University of British Columbia.
For further information please contact Chris Clark at cclark@bioformtech.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240424575263/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Rigaku and Tohoku University Establish a New Research Institute for X-Ray Metrology28.8.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Rigaku Corporation, a group company of Rigaku Holdings and a global solutions partner for X-ray analytical systems (Head Office: Akishima, Tokyo; President and CEO: Jun Kawakami; “Rigaku”), and Tohoku University (Sendai, Miyagi; President: Teiji Tominaga; “Tohoku University”) have established the Rigaku-Tohoku University Co-Creation Research Institute for X-ray Metrology: Beyond The Limits (the “Institute”) at Tohoku University on August 1, 2026. The Institute will advance X-ray metrology technology, develop new metrology methods, and foster the next generation of researchers through an initial three-year collaboration, with the possibility of extension based on its achievements. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260828688510/en/ Inside the Institute As semiconductors become smaller, more multilayered, and incorporate a wider range of materials, manufacturing processes are becoming increasingly complex. X-ray me
BLK: Portfolio Company of Enry’s Island S.p.A., Lists on Euronext Dublin28.8.2026 15:34:00 CEST | Press release
Enry’s Island S.p.A. (WBAG:EIOS), an international venture builder with headquarters in the Tremiti Islands and the Metaverse, announces that BLK Global PLC, one of the portfolio companies within its ecosystem, has successfully completed its admission to trading on Euronext Access Dublin. Trading in the company’s shares commenced on Friday, July 31, 2026, under ticker BLKX and ISIN GB00BPSKS130. BLK was one of the thousands of applications received by Enry’s Island which, following an assessment process based on the Enry’s Model, was selected for a one-year incubation and acceleration programme. The programme supported the company through its subsequent growth stages, ultimately leading to its current stock market listing. Alessandro Pacciana, Investor Relations Manager of Enry’s Island S.p.A., said: “BLK’s listing is the second stock market listing in two years among Enry’s Island’s portfolio companies, while Enry’s Island itself is the world’s first listed venture builder. We are pro
Zambon Announces European Commission Approval of Hopledo® for Adults with Parkinson's Disease and Moderate to Severe Motor Fluctuations28.8.2026 11:00:00 CEST | Press release
Hopledo® is a first-in-class, oral, modified-release formulation of levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) approved for the treatment of motor fluctuations of Parkinson’s disease Zambon expects to begin the phased introduction of Hopledo® across European markets starting October 2026 The approval is based on data from the Phase 3 RISE-PD trial where Hopledo® demonstrated a significant increase in Good ON time compared with immediate-release LD/CD with fewer daily doses and a comparable safety profile Zambon today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for Hopledo® (modified-release levodopa/carbidopa) for the treatment of adult patients with Parkinson’s disease and moderate to severe motor fluctuations who have not been sufficiently stabilized with oral levodopa/dopa decarboxylase (DDC) inhibitor-based treatment regimens. Zambon expects to begin the phased introduction of Hopledo® across European markets starting October 2026. The company is working closely
MTG-I2 Safely in Orbit, Unlocking Faster and Sharper Weather Monitoring Across Europe28.8.2026 10:16:00 CEST | Press release
The Meteosat Third Generation Imager 2 satellite (MTG-I2) has successfully passed its first critical post-launch milestones, completing the first full Meteosat Third Generation constellation in orbit. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260828243790/en/ Credit: Arianespace livestream The imager satellite MTG-I2 is safely in orbit and operating as expected following its successful launch yesterday at 22:11 CEST on board an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Our teams have established communication with the spacecraft, which has also deployed its solar panels to ensure its autonomous production of energy. MTG-I2 is in perfect shape to start its Launch and Early Operations Phase that will bring it to a higher orbit, 36 000km above Earth over the following two weeks, where a longer period of calibration and validation of its instruments will begin. This summer’s extreme weather and wildfires hav
New Daiichi Sankyo Data Underscore the Effect of Bempedoic Acid in the Real-World Management of Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular risk28.8.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release
Analyses from the multinational MILOS study show that LDL-C reductions achieved with up to one year of treatment with bempedoic acid-containing therapies translate to a 17.1% relative reduction and a 4.8% absolute reduction in predicted 10-year cardiovascular risk.1 Real-world data demonstrated clinically relevant mean LDL-C reductions of at least 24.9%, regardless of patient gender or glycaemic status, after one year of follow-up.2,3 Findings presented at ESC Congress 2026 reinforce the clinical value of bempedoic acid in routine clinical practice, and demonstrate the continued investment of Daiichi Sankyo in addressing outstanding unmet needs in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Daiichi Sankyo (TSE:4568) today announced new results from the MILOS study that demonstrate the real-world impact of bempedoic acid administered either alone or as a fixed-dose combination with ezetimibe, in the management of dyslipidaemia. Presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026 in Munich,
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom