Notpla

Notpla is a sustainable packaging company founded in 2014 by Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre Paslier, who met while studying Innovation Design Engineering at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. The company, whose name stands for "not plastic," develops regenerative packaging materials from seaweed and plants as an alternative to single-use plastics. The founders drew inspiration from natural cycles to create packaging that biodegrades in four to six weeks without leaving harmful traces.

The company's business model focuses on creating direct, drop-in replacements for plastic packaging, making it easier for brands to switch to natural materials. Notpla's product line includes edible liquid bubbles ("Ooho"), biodegradable coatings for food containers, paper made from seaweed pulp, and dissolvable films for various applications. It serves clients in the foodservice, e-commerce, and events industries, partnering with major brands like Just Eat, Lucozade, and Decathlon. Revenue is generated through the sale of its packaging products and by leasing proprietary manufacturing machines to customers for on-site production.

A significant milestone was winning the £1 million Earthshot Prize in 2022 in the 'Build a Waste-Free World' category, which provided global visibility and validation. The company gained early traction with a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2017, raising £850,000 in three days. Notpla has raised a total of $47.3 million over several funding rounds, including a Series A round, to scale its operations and expand into North America. Its materials are the first to be certified as "plastic-free" under the EU's Single-Use Plastic Directive.

Keywords: seaweed packaging, biodegradable materials, plastic alternatives, sustainable packaging, edible packaging, circular economy, food packaging solutions, bioplastics, material science, waste reduction, home compostable, single-use plastic replacement, Ooho, Notpla Coating, Earthshot Prize winner, impact investing, green technology, cleantech, regenerative materials, sustainable innovation