#Raw Materials

2022-06-16

Suzano launches venture capital initiative with US$70 million to invest in startups

Suzano, the world’s largest hardwood pulp producer and a global reference in developing sustainable and innovative solutions from renewable sources, today announces the launch of Suzano Ventures, a global corporate venture capital initiative.

Suzano Ventures will invest US$70 million in a range of businesses with the potential to revolutionize their sector and beyond, by addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The initiative will focus on companies operating within at least one of four bioeconomy applications: improving the measurement and management of carbon sequestration, accelerating and maximizing agroforestry yield, developing new technologies and applications for pulp biomass, and creating more efficient pulp packaging from renewable sources.

All investments will be aligned with Suzano’s ethos of ‘innovability’, the pursuit of sustainable solutions through innovation, which is at the core of all of Suzano’s operations. Investments will be made in businesses at both Seed and Series A funding stages. Suzano Ventures will also have a structure of acceleration programs to leverage solutions that are in the laboratory phase or seeking commercial validation (pre-Seed).

“Suzano has established Suzano Ventures to ensure support and finance for the fast-growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs who are bringing fresh thinking and ideas to the bioeconomy and the wider environmental challenges we are all facing. Suzano Ventures will provide financial and strategic support to these enterprises and, using Suzano’s wider network and resources, will help to accelerate sustainable solutions for the pulp sector and beyond,” said Julio Ramundo, Director of Carbon Businesses and Corporate Ventures at Suzano.

Suzano has had a long history of backing new ideas and evolving throughout its 98-year history, and has invested in a number of startups in recent years as part of its efforts to identify new sustainable uses for eucalyptus biomass. Among its most recent successes is Spinnova, a Finnish company that has developed the technology to produce a highly sustainable textile fiber made from wood-based pulp fiber.

Suzano’s initial investment in Spinnova, made in 2017, was €5 million, succeeded by other investment rounds. In 2021, Spinnova was listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and held a market capitalization of €390 million. Suzano Ventures now seeks to scale similar projects and ensure greater structure and agility in analyzing innovative projects and emerging startups seeking capital, which align with Suzano’s areas of expertise.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Lenzing commissions 14 MW power‑to‑heat facility, strengthening grid stability and heat management

The Lenzing Group has successfully commissioned a new power‑to‑heat (P2H) facility with an electrical capacity of 14 megawatts. The installation converts renewable electricity directly into process heat, is fully integrated into the existing heat network at the industrial site, and represents a key building block for a fossil‑free heat supply. As project partner, VERBUND was responsible for the energy‑market integration and will operate the facility for balancing energy marketing, enabling it to respond flexibly to short‑term fluctuations in the power grid.

Kraig Biocraft reaches next step in production growth

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced that it has produced more than 1.3 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons in a single month. This is a new world record and shatters the Company’s previous production record by a factor of five. Today marks a pivotal step forward in the transition of spider silk from laboratory innovation to an industrial-scale material platform.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

Speed and connectivity: Techtextil and Texprocess provided market-ready solutions for industries under pressure

With more than 36,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from a total of 112 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 demonstrated how innovation comes into industrial use. The convergence of research, industry and application proved to be a breeding ground for new material solutions, manufacturing and processing technologies. Natural fibres, performance apparel, connected systems and AI-driven processing technologies emerged as key growth and future markets.

Italian Textile Machinery heads to Geneva for Index 2026

An important delegation of Italian companies will exhibit at the upcoming INDEX 2026, the world’s leading event for the nonwovens sector, taking place from May 19 to 22 in Geneva (Switzerland). Numerous Italian exhibitors will be present within the Italy Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT, an exhibition area of over 140 square meters dedicated to the latest innovations proposed by the Italian industry.