Chemovator invests in a startup producing natural fiber plastic additives
Chemovator, the business incubator and early-stage investor of BASF, has successfully finalized an investment in Heartland. The Detroit-based startup is a frontrunner in the production of natural fiber plastic additives, and the latest addition to Chemovator's external-facing Elevate program.
Heartland helps manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of plastic and rubber products
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| Heartland’s Imperium Masterbatch, an additive product designed to be blended with polymers, enables the production of high-performance natural fiber products and packaging. ©Chemovator GmbH |
Supported by a team of scientists, engineers, and technologists, Heartland has developed hemp-based materials that can be used as additives within plastic compounds. This breakthrough advancement in the world of sustainable material innovation improves properties with regard to flammability, bonding, dispersion, and bulk density, which are historically associated with processing natural fibers. As a result, natural fibers are now a viable market opportunity to reduce scope 3 carbon emissions* in numerous industries.
“By working with global brands and their suppliers, Heartland is able to reduce the carbon footprint of plastics on an industrial scale,” comments Jesse Henry, CEO of Heartland.
With this funding, Heartland becomes Chemovator’s first portfolio company in North America and the latest addition to the Chemovator Elevate program. The program aims to support early-stage startups in the chemical industry through monetary investment, access to BASF and its experts, as well as support from a network of experienced entrepreneurs.
The Investment builds on an existing partnership between Heartland and BASF’s North America Open Research Alliance (NORA).
