Vortex
Transforming industrial waste into sustainable, non-toxic biomaterials, reducing environmental impact and creating new business opportunities.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | N/A | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| EUR | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| % growth | - | 92 % | 40 % | (15 %) | (14 %) |
| EBITDA | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| % profit margin | (27 %) | 9 % | (1 %) | 2 % | 4 % |
| EV | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
Source: Company filings or news article
Vortex S.r.l. is a benefit corporation founded in Turin, Italy, in 2021 by Lorenzo Picco and Simone Piccolo. The company addresses the economic and environmental costs associated with waste in the agri-food industrial chain. Traditionally, food producers incur costs for disposing of byproducts, which are often relegated to low-value uses like biomass, leading to significant CO2 emissions.
Vortex has developed a proprietary process to upcycle these agro-industrial byproducts, transforming them into high-value raw materials. The company's business model is twofold. Firstly, it operates as a B2B ingredient company, developing and supplying innovative materials for the food, pet food, and nutraceutical sectors. Secondly, it has established its own direct-to-consumer brand, NASTE Beauty, which utilizes these upcycled ingredients to create a line of natural and organic skincare products. This strategy not only validates their technology in the market but also captures value across the supply chain. For instance, the NASTE Beauty line was initially developed using byproducts from apple processing.
The firm's operations are deeply rooted in ESG principles. Production processes are designed for low environmental impact, utilizing renewable energy and water recovery systems to minimize CO2 emissions. Logistics are managed in partnership with local social cooperatives to create employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups. The company's potential was recognized early on through its participation in the i3P incubator of the Polytechnic University of Turin and its success in programs like Switch2Product. Vortex successfully closed a seed funding round of €460,000, with investors including industrial partner Andriani and several Italian business angels, to finance further industrial research, team expansion, and new product development.
Keywords: upcycling, circular economy, food waste valorization, sustainable ingredients, agri-food tech, cosmetic ingredients, nutraceutical ingredients, B2B ingredients, NASTE Beauty, ESG, benefit corporation, food byproducts, sustainable cosmetics, industrial symbiosis, green chemistry, social impact, Turin startup, Lorenzo Picco, Simone Piccolo, i3P incubator