INTRODUCING '' BIOLIVE '' - BEST GREEN TECH STARTUP OF THE YEAR 2021 AWARD
In this interview, we talk with Duygu Yilmaz from Biolive, winner of the Best Green Tech Startup of the Year 2021 award.
Biolive is a biotechnology enterprise that designs and develops the production process of bio-based plastics and produces bio-based granules.
A number of topics were covered, including sustainability, the Turkish startup ecosystem, female entrepreneurship, and more. Check out some of our highlights below.
What does sustainability mean to you?
At Biolive, we produce raw material, biopolymers obtained from Olive Seed waste, for many different industries and this is a first in the world. Sustainability is the greatest priority to us, both institutionally and individually and we can't define our sustainability only with our end products. Sustainability of the production method, easy access to raw materials, use of clean energy, consuming less energy & water, and our carbon footprint is crucial too. We are a company that aims to produce solutions for the whole world. Biolive's business idea is an invention that we have been working on for many years since 2014 to be precise. The part that we value most is not only offering bioplastic raw materials to our customers. We also encourage them for sustainable transformation in general, aiming to offset their own carbon and to raise awareness about production and consumption frenzy.
What are the opportunities and challenges in the Turkish startup ecosystem system?
There are actually a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs in Turkey. Many universities are the right places for incubation centers, entrepreneurship centers, investment meetings. But the difficult thing here is that; People in our country are weak in biotech, deep tech, and advanced technology. The reason is that you want to make money very quickly without realizing that you need to do an R&D study. No inventions, scientific studies, establishing the right teams are very important especially for startups working for inventions that need to be protected. In fact, let me briefly summarize it as follows: It was very difficult in those years to explain our business idea that emerged in 2014. Investors and academics said it would never be our business. Afterward, we did not listen and proceeded with our investors who supported us. Now everyone in Turkey wants to produce bioplastics, they follow us, and most of the investors invest in bioplastic startups, seeing our success as well. This is promising but sad in one thing. Because entrepreneurship is a story that every entrepreneur writes with their own decisions. It is necessary to be original and not to imitate. In short, it is difficult to prove yourself in a different sector in the first place. When you become a pioneer, you start to be imitated.
What are some of the challenges you face regarding sustainability?
Absolutely misinformation… When we talked about the Biolive business idea years ago, people said that such a product would never work, because companies did not know what bioplastic was. Now, in line with the Green Deal, companies have turned to these products because they are obligatory. Some companies have already started working with us on this issue years ago. It is not correct to say that we can be sustainable without doing research, reading, or even knowing the production methods of the products. Since most people do not research it, they think that it is enough to have bioplastic in the end product. In fact, it is not so, for a product or service to be sustainable, it must be sustainable in all its processes from the beginning to the end product. As Biolive, it is not enough just to be sustainable in our production and product. We have to follow and support the Sustainable Development Goals on many issues. Employment of working women should be increased, children's rights should be protected and education should be encouraged, etc.
What do you want to achieve next?
Biolive has taken steps to establish a large-scale facility with the investment it received in 2020. With the investments we have made, it is expected that our new facility will be opened in May 2022. Here, monthly production of 500 tons will be made, not on a laboratory scale. Our next goal is to reach many new customers and to establish a second production facility in Europe, to collect much more plant-based waste, to support domestic producers and farmers, and to become a pioneer in the field of sustainable materials by producing materials from these wastes that have no use. We aim to offer sustainable plant-based solutions not only in the plastics industry but also in many material fields such as paper production, fabric production, etc.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Of course, this is a critical question. I want to be a happy Duygu Yilmaz, a happy person after 5 years. The most important thing for me is to do a job that I love with a team I love and to leave a trace for humanity at the end of it. After 5 years, one of my biggest dreams is to become a company that produces not only olive seeds but also raw materials for many more sectors than wastes that do not have many uses, and the whole world is known for in this regard. I believe that none of us has come to this World in vain. We will all leave a trace and I want to change something in people's lives, be a source of motivation, and show that it is possible to produce and live by protecting nature and human health. One of my biggest dreams is to have the opportunity to continue our studies in a pioneering laboratory in this field at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and to do my doctorate.
How would you use being the recipient of this award to influence others and how would it impact your career?
This award means so much to us, I'm very sorry that I didn't get the award on stage and I couldn't be in Denmark. It is very important and valuable for us to receive a very prestigious award, especially in the field of Green Tech directly. Seeing that we received this award from social media, many brands contacted us. We would like to thank the Global Startup Awards family for this valuable award and all the support
Do you feel you are making a positive difference in the startup community?
Both as a company and as a female entrepreneur, not only me, but my partners and our entire team have gone through very difficult paths. We have been working for Biolive and our inventions for almost 8 years now. We took part in many conferences, programs, and events to explain ourselves both to our country and to the whole world. We were among the 16 companies selected by Cornell University, and we received entrepreneurship training at Cornell and Binghamton universities, and we took part in silicon valley 2 times. We have made our voices heard with the many successes we have achieved so far. Biolive is not just a commercial enterprise, we are an activism company. We share information not only in terms of the industry but also in terms of correct plastic use and correct product use. We voluntarily take part in many conferences and events globally and also explain the importance of biopolymers. Sometimes, if we are not the right solution point for our customers, we direct them to different companies but to the right sustainable products. On this path, many startups who knew us and our story reached us and we provided them with voluntary mentoring. As we see entrepreneurs inspired by us and our customers who look at life more sustainably, we see how much difference we make. In particular, I am very, very happy to be inspired by women entrepreneurs and to see their number increase.
Do you have any advice for future candidates who will compete in this category?
For us, the Global Startup Awards program was very enjoyable and important. We advise future participants to calculate their impact measurements very well and set up their business plans carefully. It is important to describe their work accurately and concisely with the texts they write. But most importantly, they should aim to expand their networks and reach new customers, not only to compete but also to enjoy them. If possible, they should be visible, calm, and have strong risk management.
Thank you, Duygu and Biolive!
Written by Natalija Josipović
Partners of the Global Startup Awards include
Livatek BioInnovation Institute Goodwille Danske Bank Aarhus University Good Monday Sustainia NIRAS GREEN TECH HUB Innovation Centre Denmark DI - Dansk Industri DROBE.media
