Antonella Ilaria Totaro

Antonella Ilaria Totaro is an expert in circular economy and sustainability, which she has been working on for years between the Netherlands and Italy. She holds a Phd in Innovation for the Circular Economy at the University of Turin and is Head of Production and Communication of the Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast. On Renewable Matter she is responsible for the Startup section.

Startup: Broccoli, the Sharefunding Platform for Sustainable Food Companies

“In the last two years, nothing has been more important on the agenda than our health and our climate impact. Issues that will not be resolved in the next century. However, we can have an impa...

Startup, Beni: the Browser Extension that Promotes Second-hand Purchases

Beni is a browser extension that makes it easy to buy specific items of clothing second-hand. The extension works by intercepting online shopping searches and pointing users toward the same pro...

Climatiq, Real-time Data on the Carbon Footprint of Products and Companies

Founded in 2021 by Hessam Lavi, Philipp von Bieberstein, and Isis T. Baulig, Climatiq is an integrated carbon intelligence solution that allows companies to incorporate greenhouse gas emission ...

Startup: Smartex, Artificial Intelligence for a More Efficient and Sustainable Textile Industry

Smartex is the Portuguese company that, using artificial intelligence and machine learning, inspects fabrics in real time with precision and speed. Thanks to cameras, sensors, and a lighting system,...

Startup: ZigZag, reverse logistics software to reduce returns and waste

Having witnessed a constant increase in returns over two decades of experience in the retail sector, Al Gerrie founded ZigZag on the knowledge that “depending on the product, fashion retailers...

Startup, solar energy against food waste with S4S Technologies

Much of India's rural population relies on small-scale farming for their income and livelihood. But each year about 30 percent of agricultural products are wasted before they leave the farms. ...

Startup, recycling polycotton and polyester fabrics with Circ

US company Circ, one of the finalists of the 2023 Earthshot Prize, has developed an innovative method to recycle polycotton through a technology that transforms fabrics back into the raw materi...

Startup, cutting-edge Reforestation Technology with Land Life Company

Land Life Company is a reforestation company that plants trees on a large scale, deploying innovative technologies and offering businesses a sustainable and transparent way to offset carbon emission...

Startup, Ecococon: Straw and Wood Panels from Slovakia

“We are revolutionising the construction sector by providing a building system that is climate neutral, healthy, effective and designed to be safely returned to nature after use,” says E...

Startup, Bike Club: bicycles for children that change as they grow

Bike Club is revolutionizing the children's (but also adults') bicycle industry by providing families with the opportunity to subscribe online to new or refurbished bicycles and scooters and to...

Startup, Leko Labs: Wood for Construction Powered by AI and Robotics

Leko Labs, which describes itself as a “carbon-negative construction company”, has developed a new system for walls and flooring based exclusively on wood and wood fibre that could ...

Africa is Working on an Ultimate Producer Responsibility

When second-hand goods cross EU borders, the EPR fees associated with them are often retained by the exporting countries. This deprives importing countries of the ade quate financial support to hand...

Startup: Restor’s Open Maps Highlight Forest Restoration Potential

“Forest restoration alone has the potential to cut approximately 30% of carbon emissions and prevent approximately 60% of forecast biodiversity loss, all while improving food security for over...

Startup: EcoEx, the Digital Platform That Certifies EPR Compliance in India

Indian EPR legislation for “Plastic Waste Management Rules”, approved in 2016, asserts the responsibility of producers, importers, and trademark owners to ensure the treatment of their w...

Startup, Coffee Pod Recycling in the UK with Podback

Podback is a not-for-profit UK-based coffee pod recycling service. Created by major pod manufacturers like Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, and Tassimo, it is the first cross-sector schem...

COP28, Declaration for sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems

A milestone in climate action, with the hope that global commitment swiftly translates into tangible measures: On Friday, December 1st, the COP28 Presidency announced the historic signing of a decla...

Startup: umbrellas and eyeglasses, a second life for cigarette butts

Re-Cig is a company that operates in seventeen of Italy’s twenty regions for the collection and recovery of cigarette stubs. Based in Rovereto (Trento), at the Progetto Manifattura hub, Re-Cig...

Startup: ShareWares Revolutionizes EPR Starting with Takeaway Cups

ShareWares is a pioneering company in the field of extended producer responsibility, which promotes the concept of shared property and facilitates the reuse and redistribution of products. The ...

Restoration Law: there is an agreement, but it is still far from what science requires

Late in the evening of Thursday, November 9, 2023, negotiators from the Parliament, Commission and Council reached a tentative political agreement on the European law on nature restoration. After a ...

Startup, The Knotty Ones: sustainable knitwear that helps women

The Knotty Ones is a sustainable clothing brand deeply rooted in Baltic culture and Lithuanian knitting traditions, committed to eco-friendly practices and using natural materials. Based in Vilnius,...