ECOFUNC, together with Avient Corporation, has launched its first Materials Challenge, a call aimed at identifying technologies and materials with the potential to advance more circular solutions and accelerate their connection with real industrial applications.
The deadline for submitting proposals is October 31, 2026, and selected solutions will take part in an online pitching session on November 26.
What it is looking for
The call focuses on three areas:
- Additives and technologies for mechanical recycling, particularly solutions capable of improving the processing of complex, mixed, or contaminated waste streams, such as compatibilisers, stabilisers, odour reducers, or performance enhancers.
- Barrier technologies for packaging, including moisture and gas barrier solutions that can enable more circular packaging concepts.
- PFAS alternatives, with scalable solutions capable of replacing their functionality in thermoplastics while maintaining performance and supporting regulatory compliance and sustainability goals.
Who it is for
The challenge is open to startups, scaleups, SMEs, companies, research organisations, universities, independent inventors, and innovation teams.
Proposals will be assessed against three main criteria: relevance, feasibility, and novelty. Shortlisted solutions will move on to the online pitching session.
What it offers
The most promising proposals may have the opportunity to pursue a potential PoC or pilot collaboration with Avient, while also gaining visibility within ECOFUNC’s innovation ecosystem and networks.
Deadline: October 31, 2026
Pitching: November 26, 2026
Format: open call + online pitching
Source: ECOFUNC.