An Eco-Friendly Startup
The start up TomaPaint srl has been founded at the beginning of March 2019. The cofounders are Angela Montanari, Stefano Chiesa, Alessandro Chiesa and Tommaso Barbieri.
The core business of the project is the industrialization and commercialization of a natural bio-resin obtained from industrial tomato processing by-products (mainly skins).
The bio-resin will be the main component of a bio-lacquer, intended for the application on the internal and external surfaces of the metal cans for foodstuffs in substitution of the traditional, standard oil-based lacquers. The starting material is cutin, a component of the cuticle of the tomato peels.
How The Innovative Idea Was Born
The idea of a green startup like TomaPaint, despite being at the forefront and revolutionary, is based on an old patent developed by the Experimental Station for the Food Preserved Industry (SSICA), an Italian public research organization, in the 40’s and on the work in the context of several European projects, FP7 BIOCOPAC, LIFe BiocopacPlus and BBI-H2020 Agrimax.
The finding by co-founder Angela Montanari happened by chance: while doing researches in the library of the SSICA she was struck by a paper entitled “Varnishes derived from gum resin extracted from tomato skins and their application to packaging for canned food”.
Angela Montanari at the awarding of the StartCup Emilia-Romagna
Elena, Stefano and Alessandro Chiesa
The idea immediately flashed in her mind, thinking about the 150,000 tons of tomato waste produced each year in Italy: why not try to exploit these wastes to create a product that is not only eco-sustainable but also a valid alternative to the synthetic equivalent?
After the first positive and promising experiments in the laboratory, various European funds and the collaboration with Stefano Chiesa, an agricultural entrepreneur which immediately believed in the project, the ecological startup was born, in perfect harmony with the concepts of circular and green economy.
How The Innovative Idea Was Born
The idea of a green startup like TomaPaint, despite being at the forefront and revolutionary, is based on an old patent developed by the Experimental Station for the Food Preserved Industry (SSICA), an Italian public research organization, in the 40’s and on the work in the context of several European projects, FP7 BIOCOPAC, LIFe BiocopacPlus and BBI-H2020 Agrimax.
The finding by co-founder Angela Montanari happened by chance: while doing researches in the library of the SSICA she was struck by a paper entitled “Varnishes derived from gum resin extracted from tomato skins and their application to packaging for canned food”.
Angela Montanari at the awarding of the StartCup Emilia-Romagna
The idea immediately flashed in her mind, thinking about the 150,000 tons of tomato waste produced each year in Italy: why not try to exploit these wastes to create a product that is not only eco-sustainable but also a valid alternative to the synthetic equivalent?
After the first positive and promising experiments in the laboratory, various European funds and the collaboration with Stefano Chiesa, an agricultural entrepreneur which immediately believed in the project, the ecological startup was born, in perfect harmony with the concepts of circular and green economy.
Elena, Stefano and Alessandro Chiesa
Staff
Angela Montanari
CEO
Tommaso Barbieri
Cofounder
Stefano Chiesa
Legal representative
Alessandro Chiesa
Cofounder
Awards And Recognitions
The original idea of TomaPaint is based on a research work of almost 10 years (2012 – 2019) carried out as part of the European projects FP7 BIOCOPAC (800,000 Euros), LIFE BiocopacPlus (2 million Euros) and BBI-H2020 Agrimax (12 million Euros).
May 2018
First classified in the Climate Launchpad
October 2018
Second place in the Start Cup Emilia-Romagna
November 2018
Finalist for the Global Climate Launchpad
November 2018
Matheria prize at the national PIN
March 2019
Startup Foundation
May 2019
Selected for participation in Climate KIC first phase Emilia Romagna
May 2019
Selected for participation in Climate KIC second phase Emilia Romagna
November 2019
Seal of Excelence – SME Instrument H2020, European Commission
TomaPaint S.r.l.
Registered Office: Via Cantelli, 5 - 43121 Parma (PR), Italy
Operational Headquarters: Strada Canneto-Asola 46/b - 45013 Canneto sull'Oglio (MN), Italy
VAT Number: 02900440344
Email: info@tomapaint.com
Phone: (+39) 3488139385