Bioweg's MicBeads100 Microplastic Alternative: Cosmetic Victories Winner Profile

The winners of the 9th edition Cosmetic Victories competition, presented by The Cosmetic Valley-ESSEC endowment fund, were announced in April 2024. A jury of 19 experts reviewed three finalist research projects for their future theoretical interest and three industrial innovations for their practical ability to transform the market.

The winner of the Academic (research) Prize was a bio-inspired AI innovation for the precise prediction of the perception of odors, presented by Matej Hladiš of the Université Côte d'Azur, France. The winner for the Industrial Prize was MicBeads100, from Bioweg, Germany; an innovation said to combine the power of microbes with green chemistry to create bio-ingredients.

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MicBeads100 is described as a bacterial cellulose-derived functional micropowder that can replace solid microplastics such as PMMA in cosmetics and personal care products. Per the company, this is the bio-alternative medium sought by large companies in the FMCG sector. The ingredient is produced by upcycling agricultural and food waste, and by applying green chemistry, the ingredient can fully degrade within 60 days, complying with new EU regulations on microplastics.

Here, Prateek Mahalwar (PM), Ph.D., founder and CEO for the company, discusses the inspiration for, and functionality of, the winning innovation.

C&T: What is your innovation and how was it developed?

Prateek Mahalwar, Ph.D., founder and CEO, Bioweg

PM: At Bioweg, we are pioneering the replacement of petroleum-based chemicals with innovative bio-alternatives through the integration of biotechnology, material science and green chemistry. We employ a circular process to produce highly functional and customizable bio-based materials and ingredients for the cosmetics, personal and home care, agricultural seed coating and processed food markets.

Our process begins by upcycling agricultural and food waste in a zero-waste fermentation system. Once bacterial cellulose is produced, we modify its surface. By adhering to the principles of green chemistry, we functionalize the cellulose fibrils and tailor them for various formulation designs. Additionally, our entire process is energy-efficient and requires minimal sterilization, significantly reducing water and chemical consumption, making it an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution.

C&T: How is it used?

PM: Bioweg's ingredients offer substantial benefits to both manufacturers and end users, transforming the formulation landscape of cosmetic and personal care products. For manufacturers, our ingredients provide a sustainable alternative to conventional microplastics without compromising performance. For end users, this represents a conscientious choice, offering effective products that are also environmentally friendly. The biodegradability of our materials ensures minimal environmental impact, aligning with the growing consumer demand for eco-conscious products.

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C&T: What is novel about this technology?

PM: The use of locally sourced waste side streams not only reduces production costs, but also promotes a circular economy, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability.

C&T: How might it shape the cosmetics and personal care market?

PM: Currently, many cosmetic and personal care products contain synthetic, non-biodegradable, fossil fuel-based polymers like microplastic beads and liquid acrylic polymers, which play significant roles in daily consumer products. Microbeads are used for various functions, such as delivering active ingredients, and acting as matting agents, fillers, film formers and exfoliants. Liquid acrylic polymers serve as rheology modifiers to provide thickening or gel effects. At Bioweg, we have developed highly functional bio-based and biodegradable alternatives to these synthetic polymers.

C&T: What inspired the development of this innovation?

PM: The idea originated from our daily encounters with information about microplastics and our curiosity about why this problem remained unsolved. As scientists, Srinivas Karuturi (COO and co-founder of Bioweg), and I recognized the barriers within academic research, so we decided to take action and develop a solution ourselves. Starting with experiments at our home in Stuttgart, we now operate a 300-m² pilot plant and a second lab at the Bayer campus, supported by a team of 18 talented individuals and investments from the EU and other supporters.

C&T: What challenges did you face in creating this innovation? What supported your success?

PM: Creating early product prototypes and conducting rigorous testing to ensure the material meets the desired specifications were time-consuming and expensive. Developing scalable manufacturing processes was also equally challenging. With access to various research institutions and their analytical services, coupled with our internal qualified bioprocess specialists, material scientists and product formulators, we were able to understand, characterize and adapt the product as per the market need.

C&T: What outcome do you anticipate from the competition? From your work?

PM: We joined in this competition to showcase our material capabilities to wider audiences of personal care professionals. We anticipate that this will recognize the innovation and uniqueness of our product, potentially setting new benchmarks in this industry.

The success of our innovation is likely to open new opportunities for expansion and collaboration, reinforcing our position as a leader in the industry. Additionally, we foresee our product making a positive impact on the market by fulfilling unmet needs and setting new industry standards.