Agriculture is under growing pressure to become more sustainable. Farmers and breeders are looking for alternatives to fossil-based materials, while regulations are tightening and climate change is increasingly affecting yields and growing conditions. At the same time, productivity still needs to be maintained. Dutch startup Carapace Biopolymers is developing biodegradable polymer coatings for agricultural applications. These coatings are designed to replace conventional plastic and synthetic coatings, for example in seed and fertilizer applications. This opens up new ways to support crop performance while reducing environmental impact.
The company was founded by CEO Marouschka Blahetek and CTO Suellen Espindola. The underlying technology originated from Espindola’s research at Delft University of Technology and has since been developed into a startup with its own lab facilities at Planet B.io, greenhouse validation trials, and a growing network of industry and research partners. Alongside technology development, the team is strongly focused on market readiness: strategic positioning, commercial validation, and building partnerships. In 2024, Carapace Biopolymers joined the Biotech Booster program, which has helped accelerate their journey.
Technology for regenerative agriculture
At the core of Carapace Biopolymer’s approach is the development of biobased and fully biodegradable coatings. These coatings are designed to replace fossil-based and non-degradable materials that are still widely used in agriculture today. Beyond replacement, the company is also exploring how its platform can improve soil health and crop resilience, for example by integrating beneficial microorganisms into seed and fertilizer coatings.
The broader ambition goes beyond material substitution: contributing to an agricultural system that is less dependent on synthetic inputs and more resilient to climate change. “At first, the focus was mainly on replacing microplastics and conventional polymer materials,” says Blahetek. “Over time, we identified where the real value lies and where the market is ready.”
Finding where the value is
Through Biotech Booster, the team gained access to expertise, funding, and a strong agri-food network. This helped refine their strategy and sharpen their market focus. “I think Biotech Booster helped us validate that the direction we were seeing in the market made sense. It confirmed that we were making the right decisions,” Blahetek explains. “Especially in an early phase, access to people with sector knowledge and industry networks is extremely valuable.”
Through the program, the company was guided by Biotech Booster’s Business Developers and experts including Nikita Sajeev and Maurits van den Berg, who supported discussions around agricultural applications, product-market fit and strategic positioning. According to Blahetek, one of the most valuable aspects of the program was the accessibility of expertise and the willingness of people within the network to actively help the project move forward.
“Sometimes someone would simply say: I know the right person for this, let me connect you,” she says. “Those kinds of introductions can significantly accelerate conversations with the right stakeholders.” She also describes the program as highly pragmatic and approachable. “It never felt overly formal or distant,” Blahetek says. “You could openly discuss challenges, ask questions and quickly connect with people who had relevant experience. That really helped us make decisions faster and build confidence in our direction.”
Building infrastructure alongside the technology
In parallel with the scientific and commercial development, Carapace Biopolymers also invested in building its operational foundation. The company recently established its own lab facilities within the Delft biotech ecosystem at Planet B.io, to further scale experimentation and product development while remaining embedded in a broader innovation environment. “It allows us to work efficiently toward technical milestones.”
Alongside infrastructure growth, the company also secured multiple forms of support to help the team move to market-readiness. Besides the Biotech Booster Level 1 funding, the company recently secured an NWO Take-off Phase 2 investment aimed at accelerating commercial development. “In our field, technical development alone is not enough,” Blahetek says. “You also need to build the right partnerships, understand the market and create momentum around the company. Biotech Booster really supported us in developing those aspects.”
From lab results to validation
One of the key milestones so far has been successful greenhouse trials, moving the technology beyond controlled lab conditions. “That was a very important moment for us,” Blahetek says. “Many technologies never make it beyond the lab.”
The company has also started building early commercial traction and partnerships with external stakeholders. For the team, these first collaborations are about more than technology alone. “Getting those first buy-ins from commercial parties is ultimately about trust,” Blahetek says. “You need to show results, but also build confidence in the team and the direction you are heading.” The company is also gaining external recognition. Earlier this year, CTO Suellen Espindola was included in Het Financieele Dagblad’s FD Talent list for 2026, highlighting the momentum the startup has built in a short time.
Building step by step
Looking back, Blahetek highlights the speed at which Carapace Biopolymers has been able to build both its technology and organization at the same time. “When you look at the technology, the infrastructure, the network, and the early commercial traction, we’ve built a strong foundation in a relatively short time,” she says. “Especially given the scale of the challenge.”
Looking ahead, the ambition goes beyond a single product. “In five to ten years, I hope this is no longer seen as an emerging technology, but as something widely used in agriculture,” Blahetek says. “Our goal is to contribute to the transition toward more sustainable food production systems.” That includes scaling partnerships across the agricultural value chain, further validating the technology in real-world conditions, and expanding applications that combine materials science with biological functionality. “There is still a lot of work ahead,” she adds. “But we’ve shown we can turn strong science into real-world relevance. The next step is scaling that impact.”
