The case study dives into the case of untapped agricultural waste resources and their potential to help Vietnam become a pioneer in alternative materials production. The case study also explores how a successful collaboration with universities can help the innovation ecosystem thrive by bringing novel technical findings from the lab to the market.

The ICM Falk Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of the report Commercializing Innovation in Vietnam:The Materials Lab Pilot, a case study on our work piloting the Materials Lab framework in Vietnam.

From February to May 2023, the ICM Falk Foundation partnered with Evergreen Labs to work with student innovators from the Ho Chi Minh University of Technology and develop starch-based materials. The Materials Lab pilot is the second phase of the overall Venture Lab approach which spans over 21-24 months from idea sourcing through venture scaling.

The pilot uncovered highly promising mechanisms for collaboration, market interest, and product development. Within a short span of time, the team improved the initial formulations of the materials developed in 2021 into a more stable formulation and product with local input sources. The team also deep-dived into market potentials where Vietnam showed strong promises for the development of frontier materials with novel applications (ie., other than single-use cutlery and bag replacements) and leveraging the vast agriwaste resources available within the country.

Follow our implementation partner’s channels for the latest updates: LinkedIn and website.

Read and download the full report here: