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PeelOn is a deeptech startup utilizing molecular engineering to address the multi-billion dollar food waste problem in the world. Food security is a strategic pillar for sovereign wealth funds. quantumEDGE invested in PeelOn as they offered a biological solution to a physical logistical challenge. Rather than relying solely on energy-intensive cold chains, PeelOn re-engineers the micro-environment to produce itself. This is a high-moat Material Science play that transforms the economics of agricultural imports.
PeelOn has developed a bio-based, compostable polymer integrated with plant-derived additives that modulates gas exchange and humidity at the produce surface, indirectly influencing stomatal behaviour and respiration rates. By slowing down ethylene production (the ripening hormone) and moisture loss at a molecular level, the packaging material extends the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables by up to 3x without any synthetic chemicals. This active micro-environment also possesses antimicrobial properties that inhibit fungal growth, allowing produce to withstand longer shipping durations in varied conditions. The defensibility lies in integration of plant-derived actives into compostable polymer matrices with controlled release kinetics, an intersection of molecular biology, polymer science, and post-harvest physiology that is difficult to replicate.
The company is led by scientists Dr. Taraka Ramji Moturu and Dr. Venkata Ravi Sankar Ummidi. Dr. Ravi has a PhD in Molecular Biology, and Dr. Taraka holds a PhD in Plant Sciences from Central European Institute of Technology, with research training and collaborations across leading European institutes at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, together bringing an unmatched academic rigor. PeelOn materials are compliant with FDA food-contact regulations, and already live across US, Mexico, and India. PeelOn is a recipient of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) grant under the Assisting Speciality Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative’s Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab. Their recent $1M Seed round was led by growX, and supported by quantumEDGE, Branch Venture Group, and Climate Angels.
For the GCC, PeelOn is a cornerstone of food security, increasing shelf life of food, enabling sea-freight for goods that earlier required air-freight, reducing regional carbon footprint. PeelOn is bridging the gap between desert climates and global agricultural abundance, securing the plates of tomorrow.