SLU Holding investing in Leafymade
The driving force for Leafymade AB is the development of sustainable materials that can replace plastics and paper in disposable products. With its investment, SLU Holding is providing the company both with important capital and opportunities for new knowledge through collaboration with researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
Interest is considerable for Leafymade’s first products – disposable plates and small bowls with leaves as the raw material. Production is small-scale and carried out in the villages of the Indian countryside where knowledge lives on of the old traditional ways of using tree leaves.
“The leaves’ natural properties make it possible to produce a material that can withstand liquids and is thick enough to produce both plates and small bowls,” says Vihn Hoang, cofounder of Leafymade AB. “No additives are required in production. The beautiful leaves provide the design, and with heat and high pressure, we can manufacture the products in different shapes and sizes.”
Instead of plastics and paper
Developing sustainable products that can replace plastics and paper is the company's overall goal. Production of the first products also means that the women in the villages are given an additional employment opportunity.
“Production is small-scale and is carried out at several production sites,” says Vinh. “Being able to contribute to additional employment opportunities is important to us and we are cooperating locally with several different organisations. The women who manufacture our products are already working in agriculture, and are particularly active in our production during the low season. What we can contribute is a source of extra income enabling them to buy, for example, medicines, hygiene products and so forth.”
One of the challenges for Leafymade is to scale up production. Small-scale production units will increase as more villages elect to participate in production. Cooperation with local authorities and organisations must also be further developed.
“Interest in the Swedish market for our products is great,” says Vinh. “We now have to scale up production and ensure that we can deliver to meet customers’ demands. We have established contacts in the Swedish market and there is a major interest from restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as the larger wholesalers in the market.”
Photo: © Leafymade
SLU Holding – a bridge between academia and the business community
For Vinh and the team behind Leafymade, the challenges also include finding more business opportunities and developing sustainable alternatives that can replace plastics and paper. SLU Holding’s investment in the company means a lot in these efforts.
“For us, it’s a tremendous asset, and not just financially, that SLU Holding has chosen to invest in our company,” says Vinh. “We need more knowledge and we see SLU Holding as an important bridge between academia and the business community. SLU is a well-known university in the field of forestry and is internationally leading in the field of forest industry research. For us it means an opportunity to get in touch with researchers to see if there may be an opportunity to use Swedish leaves as raw material for products that can replace those that are presently manufactured in plastic or paper. Current research on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in developing countries is another relevant area of research that is important to us and our company. We also have a number of other products that we want to further develop. To find efficient production methods and reduce the use of plastics, we need to work on a broad front and with the right knowledge. Through SLU Holding, we can get help in finding our way.”
International team with experience and visions
Development has been rapid for Leafymade. The company was formed at the beginning of 2018 and has since the start met with great interest in its work to develop products that reduce the use of plastics. The team consists of five people with backgrounds and knowledge in several different fields. It is an international team with experience and visions. They all have been masters students at Uppsala University and SLU, and the team also has researchers with PhDs from Uppsala University.
“We are a balanced team that thrives together, with varied experiences and knowledge,” Vinh says. “We have a good balance between men and women on the team and are not afraid to argue or say what we think. It means a lot as well that we are all inspired by seeing research being applied in real life. We want to learn more and are attracted by the opportunity to do so through Leafymade.”
Getting help from others – dare to ask!
Vinh has no easy piece of advice for other researchers who want to take their ideas further and also work as entrepreneurs. It's more about just doing it.
“You are never ready. The fear of taking the plunge is always there. Get in contact with others. You are never alone. Dare to ask the right person. If that person doesn't know, you'll often get help in finding someone who can help you. It will be stressful at times, but it will never be monotonous,” says Vinh in summing up the team's advice to those who want to take their products or services further as entrepreneurs.
Another good piece of advice from Vinh is, of course, to contact SLU Holding.
“We got in touch with SLU Holding through a tip from the Uppsala University holding company, UU Holding,” says Vinh. “A partnership with SLU Holding will mean a lot to you as an entrepreneur and for your company. The security in the project increases and you gain access to new knowledge and research.”
SLU Holding is looking forward to following Leafymade, with its exciting products with high sales potential.
“Leafymade is run by young and driven entrepreneurs,” says Henrik Landgren, Senior Innovation & Business Advisor, SLU Holding. “The products are fascinating and the potential is great. Our assessment is that there should be good opportunities for SLU researchers to contribute with their knowledge both in terms of development of product function and the sustainability aspect.”
For more information about Leafymade AB contact Henrik Landgren, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
