Italian startups get a Singapore headstart

Can you tell our readers about your startup and what sets it apart?

Coffeefrom is an innovative start-up with social responsibility at its heart. It is a project that gives new life to coffee waste by creating new sustainable materials. Coffeefrom transforms spent coffee grounds from the food industry into recycled and biobased thermoplastic compounds. This gives a formerly useless by-product that was discarded as waste a second life.

Through the upcycling of coffee, CO2 production is reduced, as the coffee no longer goes into landfills, and the impact of the plastic supply chain is reduced as well since using coffee in the compounds reduces the amount of plastic used.

Coffeefrom has created an integrated supply chain, starting from the procurement of coffee to the finished design product. This industrial supply chain allows our team to handle large quantities of coffee and create a supply of materials that can satisfy demand. Coffeefrom also collects used coffee from post-industrial as well as consumer sources. Many of our competitors only focus on post-consumer sources, which produce smaller quantities of coffee.
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What are your long-term goals for your startup, and how do you plan to leverage the experience and connections gained in Singapore?

Coffeefrom aims to expand its market and make a global name for itself. Currently, we mainly work in the EU. Singapore will be our launching point into South East Asia. In the next few years, we plan to expand our catalogue of materials and industrialize our patent.

Coffeefrom owns a process patent for the extraction of cellulose and nano-cellulose from coffee. Thanks to this new process, we will be able to create materials made up of at least 50 per cent recycled coffee. Our dream is to replicate our model in Asia with the help of an industrial partner.

What specific challenges do you expect to face when entering global markets?

In Italy, we built our supply chain by exploiting our expertise and the visibility we already had in the market. We know that in Asia, this won’t be possible. We have to find reliable sources of coffee waste to process into polymers.

Could you share some insights into the support and mentoring you have received during the incubation process?

This is not the first acceleration program we have attended, but every event represents an opportunity to meet mentors willing to share their knowledge, network and experience. Usually, they are also founders, so they know well the challenges we face every day. Every acceleration program is hard work. The Global Startup Program is not only tough but also ambitious.
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How do you envision your startup’s role in promoting “Made in Italy” on the global stage?

We do not represent a classical “Made in Italy” product. When scaling up, we will have to create a plant in ASEAN, because treating local coffee waste is part of our mission. We will be sure to promote “Made in Italy” as a mark of sustainability.

In what ways do you see the synergy between Italian startups and the Singaporean ecosystem contributing to the success of your venture?

Italian startups can contribute to the Singaporean ecosystem with their experience working in a very fragmented economy. We are very effective in creating clusters and supply chains with small and micro enterprises. Italy is rich in industrial districts and industrial clusters—a specific legacy of how our economy developed. Italian startups usually excel in terms of research and innovation but struggle to secure venture capital and resources in Italy.
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Considering the focus on innovation and collaboration in the ASEAN region, what specific opportunities and challenges do you foresee for your startup as you expand your presence in this market?

The biggest opportunity is represented by the huge quantity of coffee consumed every day in ASEAN countries—a trend that is only growing. This is combined with an increasing awareness about the need to use plastic more wisely.

How does the strategic location and innovative ecosystem of Singapore benefit your startup’s growth and expansion plans?

Singapore has rapidly become one of the best destinations for startups. We will try to integrate our development and growth plan into the local innovation ecosystem, trying to develop our IP here.

Images provided by Rita Bonucchi