Kelpi is on a mission to replace single-use plastic packaging made from fossil fuels with biodegradable alternatives from seaweed and other bio-based feedstocks. The food and drink market represents the largest potential market for this with about a $122 billion market for plastic packaging. Cosmetics and personal care also offer an opportunity to replace about $24 billion of plastic packaging.
Kelpi’s novel biomaterials can be applied as barrier coatings onto paper, card, and fibre substrates, creating high performance packaging products while also being recyclable, biodegradable (leaving no toxins nor microplastics behind), and marine safe.
Dr Stefanie Federle is the Chief Scientific Officer at Kelpi, responsible for strategic planning, overseeing their material development work, and in leading the technical team. She also manages regulatory approvals of their materials and products ensuring compliance with legislation, standards, and certifications. In addition, she provides technical input in client projects and investor engagements.
Kelpi closed a £3 million seed funding round in December 2022 and over the next 12 months will be scaling up their technology from the lab to full industrial scale. They are also looking to increase their client base and strategic partnerships.
Stefanie recognises the challenges that Kelpi’s current growth brings with increased line management duties, involvement in strategic decisions, and interaction with different stakeholders. She wants to develop her skills on how to build, manage, and lead a team effectively. She recognises that the Shott Scale Up Accelerator’s mentoring opportunities are one area in which the programme will help.
She also anticipate the training, workshops and courses offered through the Shott Scale Up Accelerator will help boost her professional confidence as a young female leader. She says, “The development skills gained through the programme will help me providing the best input in the company to progress and scale our operations as quickly as possible.”
