This week we are joined by Josephin Holstein, founder and CTO of Evoralis an early stage spin out from Cambridge University with the mission to enable true and sustainable plastic recycling.
Josephin shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing how Evoralis is revolutionising plastic recycling through innovative enzyme technology.
Key insights:
- Josephin and her team, originally postdocs at the University of Cambridge, recognised the potential for their research in biochemistry to impact the circular economy.
- Evoralis develops enzymes that can efficiently break down various types of plastics, particularly in the textile industry. Josephin explains, “We can screen up to 10 million enzyme candidates per day, which is 1,000 times faster than conventional methods.” This rapid screening process is crucial for identifying effective solutions to plastic waste.
- The company is currently in the R&D phase, aiming to deliver its first enzymes within a year. Josephin emphasises the importance of collaboration, stating, “We need someone to produce our enzymes... we don’t want to build our own factory to recycle plastics.”
- Josephin candidly discusses the hurdles in the biotech landscape, particularly in securing investment. “You have to be persistent and patient,” she advises, sharing her experience of navigating investor conversations and the importance of demonstrating traction in the market.
Produced by Cambridge TV
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