Q1. Can you tell us the story behind the creation of IUV – Innovation Utility Vehicle, why and how did the idea come about?

Our story back in 2011 on the high school desks, when we faced a scientific paper in the Food & Beverage sector. What struck me was FAO report reported “1.3 billion tons of food lost and waste".
Something which made me reflect and think maybe the same agro-food waste could have been a wealth to solve the problem; or could have been new replacement materials than plastic. A simple and complex idea, where IUV's journey begins.
Year 2013, early years university. They were fundamental years by which I was introduced to the FMCG innovation field of sustainability and circular economy.
Year 2017, COLUMBUS EGG project. The turning point towards new products and unconventional technologies in the consumer food sector: natural, edible, biodegradable and compostable coatings for mozzarella, Made in Italy.
A research effort with unexpected results, recognized by numerous awards such as: Mindset Program Silicon Valley, StartCup Emilia-Romagna, Gaetano Marzotto Prize, EIT Climate-KIC, Italian Innovation Day Tokyo and the great interest aroused in the media and industry sector.

Year 2019, foundation IUV Ltd. The beginning of a long journey: IUV, the engine of innovation.

Q2. Your company received support from the EIT Climate-KIC: what support did you receive and what are the benefits?

Through the EIT Climate-KIC program, we have had the opportunity to address the purchase of key services and products to our research and business development. Thanks to the program we were able to improve the quality level of development of our products up to a TRL4/5, and moreover build a strong EIT network to make contacts with important industry realities interested in our project.

Q3. According to your experience, do you think the brands are ready to massively switch towards sustainable packaging?

Yes. Through in-depth surveys and analysis, we have observed in the last three years a growing trend in reference to the competitors. A market that includes Big Companies players and the other Startup/Spin-Off, i.e. Apeel Sciences, Skipping Rocks Lab, Sulapac, etc.
On the corporate side we are more inclined to talk about reshaping solutions already existing on the market (plastic, cardboard, glass, recycled aluminium), while on the startup side we are seeing a real revolution of FMCG materials, innovative and effective in the packaging sector.
Besides IUV, there are currently few companies in the world that have come to design packaging materials (MVP or prototypes) that are truly innovative and completely sustainable from an environmental viewpoint.
The current scenario is therefore still extremely open and without players that have acquired a significant advantage, and the substantial absence of companies with any kind of consolidated leadership in the sustainable packaging market is a not negligible element to facilitate the conquest of significant market shares by IUV.

Q4. What is your opinion about the consumer’s behavior towards bio-packaging? Do you think they have a positive attitude or not?

From the analysis of numerous reports, conducted by consulting organizations and universities, we have observed that there is a strong buzz in the issue of sustainability and the demand for green and environmentally friendly solutions. The awareness and maturity to intelligent consumption represent drivers of great influence especially if related to the welfare and future of generations. And it is in the wake of the desire for change that we are working to create the future of packaging. However, even today it is still necessary to educate children, teens and adults at an early age to empower the new society of tomorrow. We cannot be satisfied with the idea of solving our problems, simply, finding a convenient alternative to our immediate lazy interest, we must necessarily take note towards ourselves and within us (triggering a spark) to be able to turn to real change, through our responsibility and ethics to sustainable consumption and to be able to leave in practice a better world than we found it.

Q5. What can you say about your future plans?

2020 would have marked an important turning point and growth of our company. The conclusion of an agreement with an important organization FMCG was in progress since a long time, in which it was expected equity due diligence into IUV company and an investment plan to start a strategic project for the development of verticals in the market one year after the signing of the partnership agreements. The COVID pandemic has shifted the interest of the partner towards the production urgencies necessary to face this period of crisis, ending the negotiations. We are reorganizing the operational strategies of IUV trying to cover various sectors in Italy, and with to foreign countries, through the search for new partners. We are also planning a crowdfunding campaign, looking for lead investors, planning the creation of a joint venture on which we can make significant capital increase cuts and finally opening a further opportunity to easy finance.