Henkel
Investment in innovation fund for sustainable packaging
By participating in the new fund focused on sustainable solutions for the packaging sector, Henkel, as a limited partner, will gain access to an annual deal flow of many hundreds of start-ups and the evaluations and analyses of thousands of innovative solutions.
New solutions for sustainable development
Henkel Adhesive Technologies is a leading global supplier of adhesive technologies used in a wide range of packaging and paper applications in a wide range of industries. The business sector aims to pioneer new solutions for sustainable development with a focus on reducing CO2 emissions, advancing the circular economy and improving safety. In the packaging adhesives business, Henkel is continuously bringing new products to market to help manufacturers and customers reduce emissions, enable circular economy solutions through compatibility with recycling processes, debonding methods, new designs and sustainable raw materials, and improve product safety – for example in the food industry."Packaging solutions are one of our core businesses and sustainability has been an integral part of our strategy to create value for our customers for decades," explains Paolo Bavaj, head of corporate venturing at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. "During our collaboration over the past years, we have already got to know Emerald's strong and diverse team of experts. We are therefore convinced that they are the right partner to gain access to a broad spectrum of start-ups in areas ranging from material and technology innovations to recycling solutions. Therefore, we see a great intersection between Emerald's expertise and our goal to drive sustainable solutions."
The Emerald Packaging Fund is the first and only venture capital-backed investment fund focused on the entire lifecycle of packaging. It aims to drive the development of advanced materials and industrial technologies for sustainable packaging that both benefit the planet and generate significant returns. In doing so, the fund will target investments in the categories of raw materials with a low environmental footprint, functional and smart materials, design for reuse and recycling, collection, sorting, cleaning and recycling technologies, digital and connected solutions, and new business models.
Important role of the packaging industry
"Our fund highlights the increasingly important role of the packaging industry in the transition to a circular, low-carbon economy," said Gina Domanig, Emerald managing partner. "We are seeking new directions for the future of packaging and look forward to working with global leaders to advance the technologies that will make this transition a success."In recent years, Henkel Adhesive Technologies has already invested in various venture capital funds for new materials around the world, including the Emerald Industrial Innovation Fund in 2016. As a Limited Partner of these funds, the company has access to an annual deal flow of over 3000 start-ups with regional focus in North America, Europe, Israel and China.
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