Result of Packbridge’s first start-up competition

Finnish take-away packaging took home the first prize of SEK 50,000.

The Packbridge Challenge for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs – the final of which was held during the Top Packaging Summit by Packbridge conference, which took place at Stadion Mässan in Malmö on 19 and 20 September – was won by the Finnish company Koepala Packaging who took home a cheque for SEK 50,000. The prize was received by a very happy Janne Asikainen, who is one of the founders of the company, where he works as an innovation manager, amongst other things.

Koepala Packaging has its headquarters in Helsinki, where it develops innovative packaging solutions. Among other things, the flat packaging solution Koepala Aterimo has been developed for the take-away market. The patented concept can be used to deliver and serve different types of take-away food or beverages in the same packaging, without the need for sealing caps etc.

“Our goal is to reduce waste from food packaging, whilst providing comfortable and durable packaging to make it fun to eat outdoors”, Koepala say on their website.

The Packbridge Challenge is aimed at entrepreneurs and start-up companies with a unique business idea or innovation that can be applied in the packaging industry. The aim is to establish better contact between the packaging industry and enthusiastic entrepreneurs and newly formed companies.

“It’s essential to connect start-ups and innovators with the packaging industry, and Packbridge wants to help facilitate that link-up. The important thing about our competition is that we connect start-ups directly with the entire value chain. This makes it easier for start-up companies to quickly get their solutions on the market, but also to get feedback from experts about improvement opportunities or applications”, says Johan Mårtensson, CEO of the cluster.

This year’s competition, which was the first, saw the participation of more than 40 entrepreneurs, and companies from 13 different countries. At “Packbridge Start-up Day” in May this year, participants presented their companies and solutions, and then a jury nominated ten participants to advance to the final at Top Packaging Summit by Packbridge.

To continue the innovation drive, Packbridge plans to hold The Packbridge Challenge again in 2018 and is already looking for companies, organisations and experts to help sponsor the competition and/or sit on the jury.

Packbridge wishes to thank Lantmännen, ÅR Packaging Group and Scanfill, Region Skåne, Lund University, Beneli and Marks & Spencer for their support and contributions.