In this new edition of Scientifica Journal, we’d like to tell you the story of one of the start-ups in our portfolio: Relicta – Innovation of Packaging.

Together with Andrea Farina, CTO of the company, we’ll dive into the research and development processes the team is advancing, and we’ll explore the challenges and achievements they’ve encountered along the way.

Relicta was founded in 2020 by a group of five co-founders determined to change the way we think about plastic: Davide Sanna, Andrea Farina, Giovanni Conti, Mariangela Melino, and Matteo Conti.

Their technology stands as a virtuous example of circular economy, representing a major step forward in the fight against plastic pollution in our seas and oceans.

Andrea, can you explain how this works?

The Relicta team has developed an innovative bioplastic film derived from converting by-products from the fish processing industry. The result is a biodegradable, compostable, and completely water-soluble material.

This film, distributed in rolls, can be easily integrated into sustainable packaging solutions and offers an ecological and effective alternative to conventional plastic.

And in order to achieve this, what were the main technical or scientific hurdles you had to overcome?

The biggest challenge was demonstrating the industrial feasibility of producing the bioplastic. Unlike traditional plastic production, we don’t use the standard extrusion technique for the Relicta material instead, we use solvent casting, a technique typically applied in other sectors.

To overcome this, we conducted extensive testing in collaboration with companies specialized in solvent casting, which proved to be crucial for our bioplastic production.

We can break down Relicta’s R&D work into three fundamental stages:

• Extraction of raw material from fish by-products, transitioning from a chemical to a biochemical method.

• Optimization of the film-forming mixture, calibrating its mechanical, barrier, and machinability properties.

• Optimization of industrial film production, ensuring high manufacturing and market standards.

And where does Relicta stand today? Are there already plans for the future?

We’re currently planning to invest in a proprietary pilot film production plant to gain greater control and flexibility.

In this initial phase, we outsourced production to third-party companies, but we’ve found this leads to longer lead times, higher costs, and limited flexibility when it comes to fine-tuning the film rolls.

All of this affects our ability to provide interested companies with sample rolls they can test with their own packaging machinery.

Our next steps involve completing three PoCs (Proofs of Concept) with selected companies and then proceeding with the investment in our pilot industrial film production facility.

With a groundbreaking technology and a steady commitment to innovation, Relicta is set to reshape the packaging industry by offering sustainable solutions for a better future.

After this compelling story from Andrea Farina and an insider’s look at product development within a start-up context, stay tuned! We’ll keep exploring the frontiers of science and innovation through the eyes of the trailblazers we interview.