Sprint Challenge Brief:

Recyclable Barriers

Submissions Closed

Whether to extend a product's shelf-life, protect the product from the environment, or even protect the environment from a product, barrier materials add significant value to a packaging solution. Barrier materials are either single or multi-layer materials critical to maintaining quality and safety standards, particularly in the areas of consumer goods and medical/pharmaceuticals. These materials can serve a wide array of applications including: moisture barrier; vapor barrier, such as oxygen or other gases; oil and grease barriers; and UV and light protection.

TechConnect Ventures' client, a leader in consumer packaging, is interested in increasing sustainability of the barrier material for consumer packaging through either source materials or complete solutions. Sustainable barrier materials span a variety of solutions including:

  • Bio-based ingredients,
  • Fully recyclable solutions,
  • Water-based biopolymers, and/or
  • Biocomposites.

The goal of this sprint is to facilitate contact and interactions between the Sprint sponsor and active researchers or technology developers in this space. Submissions and novel concepts from individuals and organizations at all levels are invited, including the academia, research, commercial and government sectors, but all viable technology providers are invited to respond for potential commercial opportunities with the client.

Submission requirements:

Solvers submitting an entry should highlight key innovation areas in their submission that meet criteria including:

  • Description of proposed novel material
  • Description of material's recyclability/compostability, as appropriate
  • Anticipated barrier performance, compared to alternatives
  • Technical maturity

Business Opportunity for Solvers

TechConnect will include all complete and eligible entries in an exclusive Innovation Opportunity Report for our client. Either TechConnect or the client may contact solvers with well-matched capabilities to discuss potential partnership opportunities, including – but not limited to – demonstrations, consulting, contract research, licensing, and more. TechConnect will invite top rated entries  to pitch at TechConnect World in Washington, D.C. in June 2022. Audience members will include corporate, investment, and federal prospectors with purchasing authority.

Participation Rules & Guidelines

Solvers are encouraged to review the Rules and Guidelines provided on the Sprint page for details about participation, including submission criteria, eligibility information, and more.

Download Challenge Brief

QUESTIONS? Contact challenge@techconnectventures.com