“The funding is a fantastic acknowledgment of our vision to develop sustainable, mycelium-based materials in the construction and office sectors. We are extremely pleased with the support and the rely on our undertaking,” said Hendrik Wever, co-founder of PottPilz. As a farming researcher, he had actually been engaged for several years with the concept of developing natural products based upon mycelium– the root network of mushrooms. In discussions with his cousin Lennard Bennemann– a chemical engineer and TU Dortmund University alumnus with a penchant for circular economy– the task slowly took shape. From that preliminary concept emerged an extensive collaboration that eventually culminated in the start-up PottPilz. “For us, it is a special chance to now work full-time on our job with clinical liberty thanks to the EXIST funding,” added the starting team.
With the EXIST start-up grant, establishing teams receive twelve months of funding to establish a business strategy and get ready for their company development with the assistance of a university or research study organization. Throughout the financing period, PottPilz is developing an ingenious floor covering system within the “MycoFloor” task. It is based upon domestic farming residues– such as straw– which are merged by mushroom mycelium into a strong, natural flooring. The outcome: a circular building material with strong sustainability credentials. The objective is to establish a product whose residential or commercial properties are comparable to a cork flooring– practical, eco-friendly, and visually attractive.
Close Ties with TU Dortmund University and the Area
The team is carefully connected with TU Dortmund University, where Lennard Bennemann formerly studied Chemical Engineering. It remains in close exchange with the start-up advisory of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Transfer (CET) in addition to with the university’s research organizations. The start-up is particularly supported by Prof. Jörg Tiller from the Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, who conducts research in the fields of biomaterials and polymer sciences. He helps the 2 creators with his knowledge and experience, and furthermore provides access to a recognized facilities. This networking enables a targeted additional development of the item and access to relevant research study.
As a startup with roots in Dortmund and Hamm, the PottPilz team is carefully linked to the area. This spring, the founders were accepted into greenhouse.ruhr program of the Economic Advancement Company Dortmund and gain from individualized training as well as a strong regional network. Their vision is to establish not just a single product, however an entire classification of regionally produced, naturally degradable, and architecturally appealing materials.