Last year, traceless materials was already the most awarded start-up in Germany, and this year it continues in a similar vein, as the founders Dr Anne Lamp and Johanna Baare have now also been awarded the German Founders’ Prize in the start-up category. The award, sponsored by ZDF, stern, the savings banks and Porsche, was presented yesterday for the 20th time in the ZDF capital city studio.
Dr Anne Lamp of traceless materials has invented a new cellulose material from natural waste residues that can replace plastic in many areas. This granulate can be processed practically like plastic granulate, is undergoing application tests in various pilot projects (for example at the mail-order company OTTO), and currently still has to clear a few official hurdles as a so-called “biodegradable” material. The start-up is based at the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH) and is supported by beyourpilot and Startup Dock.
In the Startup category of the German Founders’ Prize, the founders were able to prevail against the startups Additive Drives from Dresden with their efficient 3D printing process for electric motors, as well as against Aleph Alpha from Heidelberg, whose artificial intelligence model is supposed to be able to interpret logical connections of text, but also of image content. The jury chose Traceless because they wanted to support a company “that takes responsibility, that has a positive impact on the world.”
In a short interview afterwards, the founders answered three questions:
What does the German Founders’ Prize mean to you?
Anne Lamp: We see the fact that this honourable mention went to traceless this year not only as recognition for our work, but also as confirmation of the great urgency of the problem we are working on. In a year of multiple crises, it has become clearer than ever that the transformation towards green, circular economies and the shift away from fossil resources is one of the greatest challenges of our time.
Johanna Baare: More and more people are questioning the way we live, consume and produce. They want to take responsibility for the planet we leave to future generations. Our goal at traceless is to offer a solution: A material that follows nature’s example and has a positive footprint instead of leaving unwanted traces in the form of pollution and waste. And we are incredibly happy that the jury recognised our innovative approach!
After an award like this – what is the next goal on your agenda?
Anne Lamp: Of course, such recognition is important and shows us that our work is seen and recognised. But as an impact company, we are far from the end of our mission – our goal is to realise the full impact potential of our technology and make our contribution to solving the global plastic pollution and climate crisis! And for this – as with all complex environmental and social challenges – cooperation is crucial. The change we urgently need will not be achieved by any company alone.
What do you need to achieve this goal?
Johanna Baare: As Anne has already pointed out, we depend on a broad network to realise our impact potential. This includes not only our traceless team, but also the many business partners, investors and supporters who have joined our pioneering journey. And of course society and consumers, where there is already a great awareness of plastic pollution. The need for innovation and environmentally friendly solutions is greater than ever, and it’s great to see new ideas like ours being welcomed with open arms rather than scepticism in many cases. To achieve real change on a large scale, many of us need to be part of the solution!
The President of TUHH, Prof. Andreas Timm-Giel, congratulated on behalf of the university and saw himself vindicated: “We are happy with the successful founders, especially with our graduate Dr. Anne Lamp. With the start-up traceless, we see ourselves strengthened in giving start-up activities at TUHH a special status.”
Lufthansa and Otto are already among the first industrial customers to put the granulate produced in the pilot plant in Buchholz in der Nordheide (near Hamburg) through its paces. They will then be used, for example, to make catering packaging for Lufthansa. Before the end of the year, the protective covers will be tested under real conditions on individual Lufthansa flights. 40 other consumer goods manufacturers as well as about a dozen partners from the plastics industry, mainly packaging manufacturers and plastics traders, have already expressed their interest in the new packaging.
Information on the German Business Founder Award
The German Founder’s Prize is awarded by the partners stern, Sparkassen, ZDF and Porsche. It is supported by a high-calibre board of trustees who sponsor the finalists and prize winners. Sponsors of the German Founders’ Prize are Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, Gruner + Jahr GmbH, Süddeutsche Zeitung and the insurance companies of the savings banks. Cooperation partner is the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.
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