Deventer, Netherlands: Ecovia Renewables, Inc., a renewable chemicals company developing cost-effective biobased chemicals and fuels, was selected as a grand prize winner at the 2017 Imagine Chemistry Challenge finals for their submission "BioGel™ polyglutamic acid: a sustainable alternative to polyacrylates." The first Imagine Chemistry event--hosted by AkzoNobel and KPMG--invited start-ups and academics to find solutions to some of the world's top chemistry-related challenges. One of 20 finalists, Ecovia's EcoSynth™ fermentation-based platform utilizes microbial communities to produce high-value, based materials.

Ecovia's lead product line centers around polyglutamic acid (PGA) chemistry. Termed BioGel™, formulations of PGA can be used for many applications, including formulation ingredients for personal care products, soil amendments for water retention, and super-absorbents in cores for infant diapers.

"AkzoNobel clearly recognizes the needs and market opportunities for sustainability and green chemistry, and is poised to become a global leader in this area" says President and Founder Dr. Jeremy Minty. "We at Ecovia are honored and delighted to have been selected as a finalist and grand prize winner in the Imagine Chemistry competition."

Winners of the competition received letters of intent to negotiate a Joint Development Agreement with AkzoNobel. Full story can be found here.