Zero Circle

Ever heard of an algae entrepreneur ? Sounds incredible? Neha Jain, the founder of science startup 'Zero Circle' is in news for her innovative startup which aims at offering an eco friendly solution for the increasing plastic crisis by making eco friendly plastic films through sea weeds. 

The Professional Journey

Her professional journey is quite lucrative. From being a journalism student to her career in Google, she was quite innovative in nature. In year 2020 , she decided not to use plastic in the house when she was working as a tech consultant for a sustainability firm. She however realised that the changes cannot be brought on mass scale if it is implemented at the at the individual level but a noticeable change in carbon footprint can be brought about if this awareness is spread among the masses .This gave birth to the startup 'Zero Circle'.

The birth of Zero Circle

After leaving her job and saying no to plastic, Neha was in search of an eco friendly solution to the devastating plastics when she came across seaweeds. During her research ,she discovered these unique species that could change the whole scenario of plastic use in the country. This marine plants absolutely do not require any soil, freshwater or fertilizer to grow but they grow by their own. Moreover they act as cleansing agents of sea. In 2020 ,with a team of eminent environmentalists and scientists, the 'Zero Circle' came into existence. They started converting different species of seaweeds into low cost bio packaging films. They first procured sea weeds from sea shore and marine farms in Gujarat and Tamilnadu.

The Products

After processing sea weeds, they are turned into powder through proper technology and then used to make films for food preservation and packaging, handbags, tea bags and more. The most unique thing about these products are that they dissolve in the ocean without leaving any plastic, even in the micro form causing no harm to the environment. Zero circle provides packaging solutions which are 100% home compostable, marine safe ,food safe ,heat sealable and printable. They do not emit carbon dioxide or methane on degrading in the ocean.

Key Features

The Enterprise aims at finding energy efficient solutions, investing in renewable energy and reducing carbon footprint by using marine safe technology. They help the brands to go carbon neutral and find  sustainable solutions for their industries. They use locally sourced materials and use low cost green processing technology to produce carbon efficient solutions. There core belief is that seaweed based products possess the caliber to replace the traditional fossil fuel products. Moreover, the cultivation of seaweeds provides a secondary source of income to the locals also.

Awards

Zero Circle has won Tom Ford prize worth $1.2 million in the field of plastic innovation by converting seaweeds into biodegradable, sustainable packaging films. It comprises of of cash as well as direct investment which is launched by designer Tom Ford in collaboration with Lonely Whale in 2020. They are dedicated to find companies which are aiming at finding biodegradable alternatives to thin film plastics by utilizing marine waste for this purpose. They also help in scaling sourcing such enterprise.

innovations seek for patience, creativity and passion. Zero Circle is one of those examples!