RootCamp

RootCamp Batch #7 kicks off 🚀

Six from Germany, Serbia, Latvia, Belgium and France are joining our program, all driving solutions for a sustainable , and .

Over the coming months, the selected startups will receive tailored mentoring, access to investors and industry partners, and opportunities to test their solutions in pilot projects. From hundreds of applications across the globe, these are the teams that made it:

🟢AgDoIT | Digital platform for scientific on-farm field trials

🟢 Aqua Boost Nano | Seed treatment for improved drought resistance

🟢EMPYRIO | Modular technology for phosphorus recovery in wastewater treatment

🟢Papair | New processes for manufacturing sustainable paper-based packaging materials

🟢 PRONOE | Ocean alkalinity enhancement for CO₂ absorbation at coastal industries

🟢Zymofix | Efficient microorganism production based on agricultural waste

🪴ROOTCAMP AT THE IBC
 
Yesterday, Annkathrin Wahbi and Dr. Philipp Rittershaus had the pleasure of reconnecting with familiar faces—like Dr. Benjamin Kowalski from Future Forest Initiative—and making new connections at the International Bioeconomy Conference in Halle an der Saale.
 
It was a well-rounded programme, including:
 
- Contributions from key players like UPM, Neste, and Verbio, presenting innovative concepts for biorefineries and production plants across Europe
 
- Startup solutions like sustainable packaging made from spelt husks by PROSERVATION, and insights into algae-based biotech by AlgaeCytes in Saxony-Anhalt
 
- A thought-provoking panel on intellectual property, where our head of innovation Philipp Rittershaus shared his expertise alongside Albrecht Läufer, Christian Sonnendecker, and Dr. Jan Winkelnkemper
 
- And of course, a great get-together at the Hallesches Brauhaus to wrap up the day!
 
A big thank-you to the BioEconomy Cluster team Joachim Schulze, Mark Bergmann, Nils Wagner, and Robert Röllig for organizing such a high-quality event!
 
While Annkathrin is looking forward to the TransBib event in Greifswald next week, we’re also busy preparing for our own Nexus Bioeconomy event.
 
👉 Check out the program and register at this link before all spots are taken! Link in bio.

At RootCamp, we see real progress when startups and corporations work together to tackle industry-specific challenges. Through our ongoing series of pilot projects, we highlight how targeted collaboration can drive practical, sustainable solutions with real-world impact.

We are pleased to share our latest initiative: a collaboration between and VCG.AI, a participant in our , which accelerates the shift towards circular production by leveraging global data on technology and market trends.

➡️The : K+S aims to improve its flagship product, Korn-KALI, by incorporating plant-available silicon to improve drought resistance and nutrient uptake. But finding circular, organic sources of silicon that meet strict agronomic and sustainability criteria is no easy task.

💡The : With the help of its AI-driven value chain generator, VCG.AI is supporting K+S in identifying untapped waste streams as potential sources of silicon. By applying advanced AI modelling, the platform provides a customised discovery and prioritisation report, evaluating factors such as feedstock type, volume, price, TRLs and geographic distribution.

🌿The : This pilot not only advances K+S‘ strategy towards circularity and differentiation in fertiliser innovation, but also lays the foundation for wider adoption of AI in sustainable agri-inputs.

This project was initiated and managed by RootCamp.
🔗 To find out more about this pilot project, check out our blog.