Sustainable lignin-based solutions for multiple industries
Founder interview: Lignopure
Lignopure is a Hamburg-based lignin-based ingredient manufacturer for the cosmetic and food industry and application services for the development of lignin-based novel solutions. Our company focus is Lignin, a polyphenolic compound which can be found in the cell walls of vegetation and is a byproduct of pulp manufacturing and biorefinery sector.
Team Lignopure
Lignopure GmbH
Lignopure GmbH
What is your big vision?
More than a company, we are a community of people with the shared dream of developing safer and cleaner fossil alternatives. We do it by combining technical expertise with creativity in through all our processes and departments. Together with our patented Lignopure Particle Technology, we are committed to offer comprehensive sustainable lignin-based solutions for multiple industries for the benefit of the environment and end consumers.
What challenge does Lignopure solve?
Thanks to Lignopure’s lignin expertise, we have solved the main issue that lignin presents, which is its sturdiness. Thanks to Lignopure’s patented particle technology we can create fine smooth particles that preserve its molecular structure and therefore its natural properties to can create high-valuable applications for multiple sectors.
How did you come up with the idea?
The entrepreneurial journey and concept of Lignopure began when co-founder Joana Gil discovered the material’s potential during her time studying for her PhD in processing technology at Hamburg University of Technology. She founded the company in 2018, with fellow bioprocessing academics Wienke Reynolds and Daniela Arango—Gil specializing in technology and core science, Reynolds in scaling the technology, and Arango in business concept development.
What was your development process like?
Everything started during our Founder’s PhD Joana Gil, which then together with our Co-Founders, Daniela Arango and Wienke Reynolds develop the basis for our Lignopure’s technology, supply chain process and business concept. Afterward, with the help of the new members of the team we went through the process of market research, safety and regulatory processes, product optimization and commercial exploration to cover the demands of our first target sector, the personal care and cosmetic industry. It has been a very interesting and busy road because we are pioneering the use of lignin for cosmetic applications, but it is a path that has led us closer to our main goal which is to valorize lignin for its wonderful natural properties and bring safe, functional and sustainable solutions to high-value sectors.
What were the biggest challenges and setbacks?
Besides the processability of lignin itself, a challenge has been the simple fact of presenting this unknown compound to for example an industry that has never heard of it like the cosmetic industry.
What were the biggest successes?
I think that for an startup there are two very clear accomplishments. Firstly, open our own production plant, which allows us to control our processes and have a close look into every step in the manufacturing and quality-control process. Secondly, is to launch to the market our first line called LignoBase. This line consists out of three lignin-based ingredients that are part of the portfolio of our well-known cosmetic distributors: Kreglinger, ECKART, MASSÓ and HANACARE.
What was the market and industry reaction?
Overall the reaction has been very positive because due to the demand of more biobased natural solutions, many sectors, including the cosmetic one have been really receptive to innovative solutions and moreover when is like is the case with LignoBase, our first commercial lignin-based ingredient line, ingredients with a sustainable background that have functional properties and are ready to replace or decrease ingredients that are going to be harder regulated and/or that consumers are looking to complete skip like is the case of many fossil-based ingredients.
Would you go down this path again - or is there anything you would do differently?
For sure! We have been since the beginning very innovative forward and transparent in our processes and with this, we have been able to create great unique processes to offer high-quality lignin products which are unique in the industry.
What can others learn from your startup story?
Innovation is a rocky path but a really satisfying one, so we would like to encourage young professionals and experienced professionals to explore different possibilities, to learn, collaborate and try, because we deeply believe that innovation is the fastest way to achieve the necessary sustainable goals for a greener future.
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