Mi Terro is a synthetic biology and advanced material company that powers big data to create home compostable, plastic-alternative biomaterials made from plant-based agricultural waste
Current Status
Unilever, AB InBev, and Harada Corporation are our paying customers.
We are Budweiser’s innovation pilot partner. We upcycle their spent grain to create compostable packaging material. We also have a strong relationship with AB InBev.
We’ve signed paid pilots with Unilever, AB InBev, and Thai Wah. We also signed LOIs with Havi Global Solution (packaging sourcing partner of McDonald’s, Coca Cola, and Panera Bread), Arla (the largest dairy producers in the Scandinavian region), and P&G. Furthermore, we signed MOU with Budweiser. Nestle, HP, and Dole have also given us early commitments.
Market
Because of our revolutionary technology, Nike, Danone, Toyoshima, XRC Lab, and Ping An Insurance are our clients. We have signed LOI with H&M, Ralph Lauren, Richemont, and Asmara. We are partnering with Dairy Farmers of America to secure our upstream resources. We have customers from the fashion, textile, bed appliances, and packaging industries.
Problem or Opportunity
Currently, more than 99 percent of plastics are produced from chemicals derived from oil, natural gas and coal — all of which are dirty, non-renewable resources. If current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic industry could account for 20 percent of the world’s total oil consumption, according to the United Nations Environment Program.
Thin film describes the shroud of plastic at the edge of human experience. Globally, humans are estimated to use over 300 billion polybags and single-use, resealable sandwich and storage bags (SRPBs) every year. These bags are almost impossible to recycle.
Solution (product or service)
We use A.I. to re-engineer plant-based agricultural waste and replace single-use plastic and paper materials.
Unlike current alternatives to microplastics, which are based on plant polysaccharides, such as cellulose and algae, Mi Terro’s plant protein materials do not rely on chemical cross-linking for their performance. This enables them to decompose quickly and completely in the natural environment. Our biomaterial is monolayer, is 20-40% cheaper than other bio-based and fossil-based feedstocks at pilot level, home compostable, ocean degradable, heat sealable, and edible.
Competitors
Currently, there are two types of fibers in the world: petroleum-based (ex. polyester) and plant-based (ex. cotton, bamboo, modal, etc.). We are creating a third type of fiber, which is protein fiber made from food waste.
Advantages or differentiators
Qmilk is a German company that blends fresh milk protein with acrylic (petroleum material) to create fiber, which is costly, time-consuming, and harmful to the environment and the human body. Compare to Qmilk, Mi Terro has the world's only technology that directly uses milk waste (expired & spoiled), and the final product is 100% biodegradable. Our fiber is cheaper than organic cotton and modal, requires 60% less water compared to organic cotton, and 100% biodegradable. We partner with Dairy Farmers of America, Danone, Nestle, and GM to secure our upstream resources. We also have partners like Nike and H&M. We are consolidating the entire supply chain. We've filed 2 patents and will file 4 more inventions in 2020. We also have a team of serial entrepreneurs, Ph.D. material scientists, professors, chemists, and marketing experts that have demonstrated successful results.
Finance
We started with a B2C approach to validate the market. We have generated more than $100,000 online sales of our brand products in the first 8 months, selling to customers from 40 countries. Our retail price for the milk shirt is $40. Our product margin is 75-80%. Our wholesale margin is 50%. Our fiber will be cheaper than modal and organic cotton.
Business model
Our business model is B2B2C. In stage 1, we modify natural proteins into = water-soluble and water-resistant biomaterials. We will provide the pellets/resins to our downstream partners. In stage 2, we will develop an AI platform that analyzes thousands of currently unknown protein polymers, and then genetically code these protein polymers. In stage 3, we will use 3D printing to create personalized biomaterials for pharmaceutical, luxury fashion, aerospace, cosmetic, beauty care, and high-end packaging industries. We will also license our technology.
Money will be spent on
70% on technological development, 20% customer acquisition, and 10% backup.
Technology might take longer to develop than expected. Demand is higher than supply.
Incubation/Acceleration programs accomplishment
100+ Accelerator MassChallenge Boston Accelerate2030 Plug and Play
Won the competition and other awards
We won the First Place and People's Choice Award at the 6th Annual U.Pitch National Collegiate Elevator Pitch Competition & Showcase - Presented by EY! We were a winner of the USC New Venture Seed Competition. We won the Startup World Cup Chicago Regional. We won the Entre virtual pitch competition In addition, we won the Falling Walls NYC.
Invention/Patent
Already filed 2 patents and will file 4 more patents in 2020.