Impossible Materials, a chem-tech spin-off of the University of Fribourg and the University of Cambridge, is gaining recognition and undergoing significant growth.

Impossible Materials’s technology is based on transforming the most abundant biopolymer on earth - cellulose - into functional, high-performance ingredients. Their first innovation is a unique light-scattering material that can be used as a 100 % natural pigment; these plant-derived products are not only safer but also more durable than any others currently available. In April, Impossible Materials raised CHF 3.4 million to work on marketing their cellulose-based white pigment. The product is positioned as an alternative to titanium dioxide, a substance recently banned in the EU for use in food. 

As a recognition of the excellence of their technology, the company was honoured with the prestigious CHF 120,000 Diamond Prize at the MassChallenge Switzerland Awards 2023 in Lausanne, which is a part of MassChallenge’s global network for innovators and zero-equity startup accelerators. Congratulations! Lukas Schertel, CEO & co-founder of Impossible Materials expressed: “We couldn’t be prouder and more honoured to receive this prestigious recognition. At Impossible Materials, we are committed to pushing the future of sustainable, plant-based ingredients every single day, and this incredible achievement is just the beginning.”

We are excited to announce that the company has now a team of 10 collaborators, with a significant number of them being alumni of the University of Fribourg.  As emphasized by Lukas Schertel, the team is the key ingredient for a successful start-up. We are delighted that the University of Fribourg is part of their journey towards a more environmentally friendly future!