Three companies participated in the Pulp & Beyond Award Startup Competition. The competition brings forth new and significant solutions in the field of forest bioeconomy. The winner of the competition is Aisti Corporation, which has developed a patented ultra-low density fire-retardant foam material, suitable for production of board-like products for many different applications such as acoustic tiles, thermal insulation products, windshield panels and package cushions.
The start-up competition looked for the most promising and potential growth companies in the forest bioeconomy field. The Pulp & Beyond Award is given to a Finnish company that has developed an innovation that produces a positive image for the forest bioeconomy industry and from which an internationally significant product or service can be developed. At its best, the solution also opens up new perspectives in the forest bioeconomy sector. The winner is granted a 10 000 euros Pulp & Beyond Award funded by the Finnish Fair Foundation.
The pitch of Aisti was balanced and very good. Buildings are currently responsible for 39 % of global energy-related carbon emissions. It's a sobering statistic that demands action. Current construction materials that are used in suspended ceilings of all non-residential buildings are simply not sustainable, and the demand for ecological solutions is louder than ever before. Aisti has developed a patented ultra low density fire-retardant foam material, suitable for production of board-like products for many different applications such as acoustic tiles, thermal insulation products, windshield panels and package cushions. In the wet-laid process, cellulose CTMP fibers are mixed with water and foaming agent in order to produce the board-like material to be dried, formed. The board is then cut, coated or laminated to form the final product.
In the speech following the award ceremony, COO Antti Fredrikson from the Aisti Corporation asked investors not to hold their wallets closed. Climate change must be stopped, which is why it's good to support startup companies.
Three companies in the final
The finals of the start-up competition included Aisti, Carboreal and Fiberdom. Aisti has developed acoustic materials, Carboreal afforestation projects and Fiberdom pulp based single use cutlery and tableware which is home compostable and recyclable with cardboard materials. The competition was organized by Messukeskus in cooperation with The Finnish Forest Products Engineers’ Association. The jury of the start-up competition consisted of i Atte Virtanen (VTT), Katariina Kemppainen (Metsä Group), Jenny Müller-Wahlman (Stora Enso), Ville Leminen (LUT), Antti Lindqvist (PI), and Marcus Bergström (Messukeskus).
The start-up competition was now arranged for the fourth time. The previous competition, held in 2022, was won by Montinutra, which uses sawdust as a raw material to produce Kuusikumi™ extract for use in cosmetics, technical chemistry, and even the food industry.
Pulp & Beyond 2024 is arranged 10-11 April 2024 at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.