Page 32 - Plastics News February 2026
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COMPANY NEWS
pendent angel investor group based in the Addressing microplastics with biodegradable
Grosse Pointe communities near Detroit, MI. solutions
The funding, according to the company, will en- Synthetic superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) used
able Ecovia Bio to expand manufacturing capac- in consumer goods like diapers, feminine hy-
ity at its Livonia, MI, facility to meet the growing giene products, and cosmetics are often viewed
global demand for its AzuraBase and AzuraGel as contributing to the perception of a microplas-
families of gamma polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) tics problem.
and specialty biopolymer products. These prod-
ucts are used across cosmetics, personal care, Ecovia Bio noted its γ-PGA technology offers
agriculture, and hygiene applications. a solution by providing a biodegradable, bio-
based alternative to synthetic polymers. This
Kousay Said, CEO of Ecovia Bio, pointed out that innovation enables manufacturers to replace
the petrochemical industry benefits from exten- harmful plastics with sustainable materials that
sive global, federal, state, and local support in- deliver equal or superior performance without
frastructure, and the funding will help the com- environmental or health risks.
pany compete.
By scaling production of γ-PGA, Ecovia Bio said
"Bio-based alternatives depend on a handful it is driving a global shift toward sustainable con-
of scientists competing against decades of de- sumer products, addressing regulatory pres-
velopment and thousands of established scien- sures, consumer demand for safer alternatives,
tists," he told PlasticsToday. and the urgent need to protect human health
and the environment.
Said noted that bio-based technology fails not
from scaling difficulty but because the value Series B funding to fuel expansion & innova-
equation structurally favors incumbents. Yet, he tion
added that this rigidity creates opportunity: Mar-
kets shift, but incumbents rarely adapt — and The Series B funding will support an expansion
this is where our technology fits. of Ecovia Bio's Livonia manufacturing facility,
with the company projecting full operational ca-
Plastics processors face the same constraint, ac- pacity by 2028. This expansion, according to the
cording to Said. company, will allow Ecovia Bio to meet increas-
ing customer demand across high-growth mar-
"Cost pressure forces them to invest only where kets, including cosmetics, personal care, agricul-
customers see immediate value," he said. "They ture, and hygiene.
lack the bandwidth for long-term supply chain
development, and we don't expect them to Said emphasized the importance of the fund-
drive that change. Responsibility for advancing ing in scaling the company's operations.
biomaterials will fall to innovators willing to lead "This capital enables us to meet immediate de-
it."
mand from our customers while building the in-
frastructure needed to serve the hygiene sector
32 PLASTICS NEWS February 2026
