“Packaging plays an essential role in securing accessibility, safety, hygiene, and affordability of food and everyday necessities for people around the world. The value of packaging is high, for instance, in helping to solve the problem of food waste that contributes 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling of packaging, a valuable resource, remains the next big challenge that needs partnerships across the industry and visionary start-ups to solve.”
“Huhtamaki continues to introduce breakthrough innovation for packaging circularity, such as technologies for high-barrier flexible mono-material structures, high-precision fiber technologies for complex shapes, and paperboard containers with re-pulpable coatings. We need to do more together across the packaging life cycle to develop more sustainable solutions and ensure the recycling of packaging,” says Marina Madanat, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Huhtamaki.
Emerald Technology Ventures – a leader in sustainable industrial technology venture capital – announced the launch of a fund focused on sustainable packaging in April 2022. The fund, in which Huhtamaki participates, is one of the first venture-backed investment vehicles targeting the financing of innovations across the full packaging lifecycle.
“We are thrilled to be working with Huhtamaki in the push to transform the packaging sector and excited to meet promising start-ups in Helsinki. Our fund invests in start-ups developing advanced material solutions and digital technologies supporting corporates from the entire packaging value circle – raw material producers, converters, FMCG players, retailers as well as waste management companies and recyclers. Our aim is to help solve the largest sustainability challenges in packaging for global players across industries," says Gina Domanig, Emerald Managing Partner.
“Systems thinking and acting across packaging life cycle is key to solving for packaging circularity. By uniting our strength as a global leader in sustainable packaging, visionary startups, and dedicated funders, we have the unique opportunity to drive breakthrough innovations for a more sustainable future together,” says Marina Madanat.
