This time around, we are turning our attention to Roka Furadada!
In collaboration with pharmaceutical innovator COVEX S.A. as their committed buyer, the pilot is advancing their CIRKLE® initiative to drive a circular materials shift across the pharma and cosmetics sectors. By harnessing upcycled lignin technology, this pilot replaces synthetic active ingredients with sustainable, bio-based alternatives. The collaboration proves that high-performance formulations can go hand in hand with environmental responsibility, setting a new benchmark for eco-friendly manufacturing.
Scroll down to read the full interview and hear directly from the team about their achievements and future vision.
Get a look at their technology in our latest brochure, available below. Discover exactly how this solution works, who it is designed for, and how you can get in touch if you would like to connect!
What are your expectations as your solution moves into the assessment phase? And your lessons learned?
Moving into the assessment phase, our core expectation is to transition from a technical proof of concept to full market validation. Having shattered our initial scaling goals by moving from a 100-gram lab scale directly to a robust, 140 kg industrial batch under strict pharmaceutical guidelines, we are ready to see how ROKA CIRKLE® performs. By putting physical samples from this pilot lot directly into the hands of dermocosmetic and skin-pharma brands, our goal is to validate the viability of our ‘Owner-CMO’ production model, solidify our licensing agreements, and prove that sustainability and high performance can coexist in a cosmetic ingredient.
The biggest lesson we’ve learned is that in the deep-tech and skin-pharma space, you must ‘transform the commercial conversation from day one’ by trading promises for reality. Developing an ingredient in a lab isn’t enough; you need to demonstrate scalability early on to mitigate risk for demanding buyers. Delivering samples allowed clients to test the raw material in their own formulations immediately, eliminating the post-manufacturing wait time. True innovation requires aligning strict pharmaceutical-grade quality control with an agile, client-first commercial strategy.
How has InnoMatch helped you achieve your business goals? What have you valued the most so far?
InnoMatch catalyzed our shift from lab innovation to commercial reality. This allowed us to hand real physical samples to brands rather than theoretical promises, completely transforming our B2B conversations and compressing formulation timelines from day one.
What does success look like for you beyond this pilot and the InnoMatch programme?
First, commercializing the Owner-CMO Model: Transitioning from active business conversations into finalized with COVEX smoothly executing the strategic manufacturing and Roka Furadada leading global commercial exploitation. Second, proving to the cosmetic and skin-pharma industries that petroleum-derived chemicals can be replaced by high-performance, sustainable alternatives without compromising safety or efficacy.
Learn more about the ROKA FURADADA pilot here.