Noriware, a Swiss start-up founded in 2022, has emerged as a beacon of hope in the fight against plastic pollution. Equipped with a ground-breaking technology developed in collaboration with ETH Zurich and FHNW, Noriware set out to revolutionise the packaging industry. Their goal? To find a long-term and sustainable solution to the global plastic problem. Their weapon of choice? Algae-based packaging materials that can be 100% composted at home, and in an unprecedented timeframe. Noriware’s journey began with a serendipitous encounter in Mexico, where HSG student Jessica Farda noticed an abundance of algae on the beach. This simple observation gave her an idea. Could algae be the answer to our plastic problem? Jessica returned to her studies and immersed herself in research on the potential of algae as a sustainable resource for bioplastics. In the humble surroundings of her kitchen, she conducted experiments that would lead to a potential breakthrough in the search for environmentally friendly packaging. In September 2021, she joined forces with the Department of Materials Science at ETH Zurich, providing important expertise in materials science. In May 2022, Jessica’s path took a decisive turn when she met her co-founder Stefan Grieder, resulting in a collaboration with the Institute of Plastics Technology and Engineering at the FHNW thanks to the Innovation Booster “Plastics for Zero Emissions” award, adding essential expertise in polymer chemistry and engineering. In September 2022, Noriware AG was officially founded in Aargau and, with the substantial support of the Aargau Research Fund, the cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences continued. In May 2023, the start-up founders succeeded in securing a pre-seed financing round of over 1 million Swiss francs, enabling them to expand their own laboratory infrastructure in Lupfig, Aargau, and launch larger pilot projects with industry partners. With the support of Professor Dr. Markus Grob and Prof. Dr. Christian Brauner, Noriware is well on its way to even greater success. Noriware will continue to expand its product portfolio and contribute to a sustainable future. The company is on its way to redefine the packaging industry and to stimulate a change in corporate thinking for the benefit of the environment, people and the economy.
«Plastics for Zero Emission» is supported by Innosuisse. Leading House is Composites United Switzerland, partners of the Innovation Booster are the Swiss Plastics Cluster and KUNSTSTOFF.swiss.