Selected Entrepreneurs – Week 50

CEW Communications drove a 51% increase in LinkedIn followers for Nordic venture capital forum GoWest.

Ahead of the 10th edition of the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit, we caught up with tozero’s CEO and co-founder, Sarah Fleischer.

Composites are everywhere around us: they’re used to make everything from spacecraft and racing cars to swimming pools, bath tubs and countertops. Still, most people don’t know what “composite materials” mean — the materials industry isn’t really the best fit for consumer-focused marketing after all.  But the potential of composites to increase efficiencies in industry is putting the highlight on its potential to improve sustainability. That, in turn, is attracting corporates and investors to the space. That trend of innovation was quite apparent at the 60th edition of JEC World in Paris, which showcased the latest and greatest in the composite materials industry this week.  The event saw a range of products being launched, awards given, a startup competition, conferences, networking events for investors and the industry, live demos, and much more.  The 2025 edition of the trade show also saw its first Investor Day, co-organized by Sesamers, which had top venture capital investors from across the world meeting founders, networking and evaluating interesting startups. Meet the JEC Startup Booster 2025 winners Speaking of startups, this year’s JEC Startup Booster competition had 20 uniquely interesting finalists that Sesamers (acting as JEC’s sourcing partner) helped shortlist from over 200 entrepreneurs, startups, and university spin-offs to highlight the most intriguing new companies in the space.  Over the years the competition has become a true springboard for participants, thanks in no small part to the support of industrial sponsors: the 2025 edition is supported by Airbus, ProxximaTM (An ExxonMobil Product) and Owens Corning as its main innovation partners, and Mercedes-Benz and Swancor as innovation partners. These companies were also represented in the jury that judged the finalists in the competition. Even being a finalist in Startup Booster can open doors for a startup: for example, former finalist UBQ Materials is now working with Mercedes Benz. Of course, getting an award is even better — the prize package is worth €25,000, including a cash prize and a fully equipped booth at JEC World 2026. This year there were three awards — two corresponding to the main categories, and one focused on sustainability. Product & Materials Award: Tree Composites Tree Composites is trying to improve offshore wind turbine foundations with its wrapped composite joint, which helps make structural connections that drastically reduce steel usage.  The company says it offers 60% savings in materials as well as increased durability, and is one of the more unique names helping in the transition to more efficient and sustainable offshore energy projects. “Winning this award validates our technology and accelerates our ability to scale,” shared Lead Manufacturing Engineer at Tree Composites, Berend van Leengoed. Process, Manufacturing & Equipment Award: Perseus Materials Perseus Materials is tackling one of construction’s biggest challenges — reducing labor costs and replacing steel with fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs). Its on-site manufacturing process is designed to make large, load-bearing FRPs more accessible and cost-effective, instead offering lightweight, high-strength alternatives. “Being recognized by the JEC jury — composed of industry leaders — proves that our approach has the potential to truly disrupt how structures are built,” said Perseus Materials’ CEO, Dan Lee. Sustainability Award: Strong by Form Strong by Form has developed Woodflow, a timber composite that delivers a lightweight, high-performance alternative to traditional materials like concrete and steel, reducing carbon footprints in critical industries. “This award is not just a win for us — it’s a signal that the industry is ready for a fundamental shift toward bio-based, sustainable solutions,” the startup’s founders said. JEC World 2025: A Convergence of Startups & Investors While Startup Booster put the spotlight on the innovation in materials, JEC Investor Day turned out to be a good experiment for facilitating funding and strategic partnerships. Investors from leading funds and corporates’ investment arms gathered to see where composites are heading next, meet founders, and network. Composites are evolving at an incredible pace, but the most exciting impact will come from startups and large enterprises and manufacturers working together. That connection is being facilitated by corporates’ venture capital arms. Several investors in attendance were representatives of corporations.  Syensqo Ventures’ managing partner Matt Jones told Sesamers ahead of the trade show, that his firm was particularly interested in how composites can help make lighter, more manufacturable, cost-effective parts for several use cases. “Everything that flies or rolls needs to be higher performance; whether you’re switching to sustainable aviation fuels or electric vehicles, they all need to be lighter. They all need to have higher performance. Composites are going to be a big part of that future,” he said when we spoke to him at JEC.  The road ahead All trade shows bring people together, but few succeed in truly uniting diverse stakeholders under one roof. JEC World 2025 did showcase the best in composites, but it also accomplished something that many industry events struggle with: facilitating meaningful connections between investors and startups to bring composites innovation to the market.  This suggests that the inaugural JEC Investor Day was just the beginning, and you can be sure we’ll bring you the highlights again. Until next time.