Aachen-based start-up IonKraft GmbH, a spin-off from RWTH Aachen University, has successfully closed a first financing round of EUR 3.5 million, led by M Ventures (Merck's strategic investment fund) and TechVision Fonds (TVF), supported by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF). IonKraft develops innovative, plasma-based barrier coatings that replace non-recyclable barrier solutions and enable a fully circular economy in the packaging industry. The capital will be used to launch and scale production.
The patented technology offers a barrier effect comparable to that of glass, but is chemically resistant and fully recyclable. Packaging manufacturers can thus replace millions of non-recyclable, multilayer or PFAS-containing (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) packages with environmentally friendly alternatives. The coatings also provide sufficient protection so that recycled materials can be used for sensitive products. The coating also has the potential to maximize the proportion of recycled materials in future plastic packaging solutions.
