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Outlander Materials
Techstars '22Rotterdam, NL · Founded 2019 · 4 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
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Outlander Materials develops microbial nanocellulose through controlled fermentation, engineered for industrial-scale production and cost-efficient sustainable material applications. The company serves industries seeking high-performance bio-based alternatives to synthetic materials without compromising on performance or cost.
Also known as Outlander
Founders & leadership
Investors · 2
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Company profile
researched Sep 2026Outlander Materials is an industrial biotechnology and materials science company based at BlueCity in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It uses a fully biobased fermentation process to convert low-value agricultural streams and food-industry by-products, including brewery waste, into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), also described as fermented cellulose. The company treats BNC as a foundational platform material that can be further processed into applications spanning textiles, packaging, medical products and cosmetics.
Its best-known product is UnPlastic, a compostable packaging material derived from food industry by-products and intended as an alternative to single-use plastics for food and packaging uses. The material is designed to be functional in those applications without degrading into micro- or nano-plastics, addressing plastic waste and food waste simultaneously. Headquarters and R&D operations are in Rotterdam, a location chosen for its sustainability ecosystem, central position, transport links, proximity to research institutions and access to international talent.
Founding story
Lori Goff began the work in 2018 by renting lab space at the newly opened BlueCity Lab in Rotterdam, described by her as an affordable place to explore an idea; she was the lab's first tenant. She founded Outlander Materials in 2019 with a focus on combating waste, and the company has remained at BlueCity since.
Business model
Outlander Materials operates as an industrial biotechnology and materials science developer, producing a platform material (bacterial nanocellulose) via fermentation of low-value agricultural and food-industry side streams, and converting it into application-specific products such as packaging. It is positioned as a foundational materials supplier to enterprise customers across multiple industries rather than a single-product company.
Traction
The company has developed and introduced UnPlastic to market, secured grant support from the City of Rotterdam (CityLab010 in 2019) and the Duurzaam Transitie Budget, completed the Techstars Sustainability Paris accelerator in 2022, and employed four people as of February 2024.
Latest developments
The company is preparing to scale up over the next five to ten years, with plans for a first production facility near Rotterdam and expansion into international markets; finding suitable local production space remains a stated challenge, and it continues to work with the city on solutions.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Outlander Materials is an early-stage, pre-seed company in the biobased materials and sustainable packaging sector, with four employees as of February 2024. Companies identified as comparable include Uuvipak, Mushroom Material, Mi Terro and Footprint.
The company positions BNC as a single foundational fermentation-derived technology adaptable across industries and geographies, rather than an application-specific material. Its UnPlastic packaging is described as compostable and functional for food and packaging uses while not breaking down into micro- or nano-plastics, and its feedstock consists of low-value agricultural streams and brewery by-products.
Technology
A fully biobased, fermentation-based process converts low-value agricultural streams and food-industry by-products such as brewery waste into bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). The resulting material serves as a platform that can be converted into textiles, packaging, medical products and cosmetics; in packaging form as UnPlastic, it is compostable and designed not to fragment into micro- or nano-plastics.
Go-to-market
The company has grown through Rotterdam's circular-economy ecosystem, including the BlueCity hub, collaborations with fellow BlueCity residents such as BlueCity Lab and Vet & Lazy, the Circular Factory programme for scaling circular startups, municipal support and funding programmes, and the Techstars Sustainability Paris accelerator in 2022.
Industries seeking biobased materials, including food and packaging producers needing compostable alternatives to single-use plastics, as well as textile, medical and cosmetics applications.
Geography
Headquarters, laboratory and R&D operations are located at BlueCity in Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. The company plans to establish its first production facility near Rotterdam and to expand into international markets.
History
Founder Lori Goff began exploring the idea in 2018, becoming the first tenant of the newly opened BlueCity Lab in Rotterdam. The company was founded in 2019 and, that same year, received a CityLab010 grant from the City of Rotterdam that funded its first office and lab and its initial hires. It later worked with the municipality on further funding instruments including the Duurzaam Transitie Budget, collaborated with other BlueCity residents and the Circular Factory programme, and took part in the Techstars Sustainability Paris accelerator in 2022. Its packaging material, UnPlastic, was developed and brought to market, and the company had four employees as of February 2024.
Compiled by commissioned research from 5 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 4
launches, deals, and filingsUnPlastic, a compostable packaging material made from food industry by-products and brewery waste, was developed and introduced to market.
The company received a CityLab010 grant, which it used to open its first office and lab and hire its initial team.
Founder Lori Goff became the first person to rent lab space at the newly launched BlueCity Lab, where the company has remained based.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 5
primary sources listed
- Outlander Materials - aVenture Company Researchaventure.vc · web
5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Outlander Materials do?
- Rotterdam biotech fermenting agricultural and brewery side streams into bacterial nanocellulose for compostable packaging and other uses.
- Who are Outlander Materials's investors?
- Outlander Materials's investors include Techstars, Tectonic Ventures.
- Where is Outlander Materials headquartered?
- Outlander Materials is headquartered in Rotterdam, NL.