Why founders should embrace circular thinking

At GANS 2024, side streams played a major role! A central focus of the day was promoting the circular economy in the agricultural and food sectors as well as the intelligent use of seemingly waste products. Given the dwindling raw materials, it is crucial to use resources more efficiently and sustainably. Experts from the AgriFood sector explained how this can be implemented.  

At the Frankfurt Art Association, Familie Montez, the speakers turned the value chain upside down. They offered fascinating insights into ideas that could soon improve our lives. Dr. Jan Grossarth from Biberach University highlighted the possibilities of straw as a building material, while Lewin Fricke from TRIQBRIQ demonstrated how to intelligently construct and deconstruct buildings with wooden blocks. In a panel discussion, Annkathrin Wahbi from Rootcamp, Dr. Wilhelm Klümper from Agora Agrar, and Dr. Petra Meyer-Ziegenfuß from the Hesse Ministry of Agriculture discussed necessary steps to establish a sustainable yet profitable circular economy in agriculture and forestry.  

These three insights provide a thematic preview:  

• Straw is underestimated: waste product? Far from it. Life cycle analyses and ecological balances show that straw is an excellent building material. Due to its high thermal storage capacity, it should be used much more often for this purpose.  

• Usable sick woods: Four out of five trees in German forests are sick. However, even damaged wood can be valuable, especially in the form of modular building blocks that enable quick and eco-friendly house construction. The start-up TRIQBRIQ shows how this works!  

• Hemp as a multi-talent: Hemp is used as oil, milk substitute, and in textile production. To promote its use beyond niche applications, farmers must be supported specifically.  

Keynote: Turning the value chain upside down – Straw as a building material  

Dr. Jan Grossarth, Professor of Bioeconomy and Resources at Biberach University, clarifies in his keynote the promising advantages of renewable biomass as a building material. “In Germany, about 57 percent of processed wood is used for material purposes, but only three percent of agricultural raw materials, which are almost exclusively used for food, animal feed, or energy. There is considerable potential here that has barely been tapped.”  

According to Grossarth, the construction industry is struggling with a CO2 problem because it causes about 40 percent of global emissions. Therefore, a change in thinking and increased interest in alternative building materials is urgently needed – such as straw: “In life cycle analyses and ecological balances, straw performs well. Due to its high thermal storage capacity, it is excellently suited for insulation when used in walls or in the load-bearing structure. Furthermore, straw is available in significant quantities in Europe, but the demand is still very modest.” 

The acceptance and dissemination of straw as a building material ultimately depend on the actors involved: What values, aesthetic preferences, and atmospheric inclinations do builders have? How open will the construction industry be, which traditionally relies more on precision and standardization than on creativity and innovation? “Certain reservations hinder awareness of the building material straw and a fundamental change. There is a clear need for action in communication,” summarizes Grossarth. 

Start-up pitch: How TRIQBRIQ conserves resources with the Lego principle 

Afterward, Lewin Fricke, head of public relations at the Tübingen startup TRIQBRIQ, speaks about his company's groundbreaking approach in the circular economy. TRIQBRIQ relies on an innovative solid wood building system that consists of modular wooden blocks. “Four out of five trees in German forests are sick, which generates large amounts of damaged and weak wood. We use this domestic wood to produce our BRIQS in a resource-efficient manner.” 

The BRIQs are manufactured with high precision using robotic technology, later stacked on-site and locked together with beech wood dowels. “We conduct training with construction company employees. They usually understand the principle quickly, and construction progresses rapidly,” explains Fricke. A unique advantage is that the BRIQs can be removed and completely reused after the usage phase. “Our system is built without clay or chemicals and can be sorted back and reconstructed.” 

Finally, Fricke presents a highlight: “Currently, we are working on an EDEKA supermarket in Braunschweig that is 1,100 square meters and completely built with our BRIQs. In this process, we store 235,000 kilograms of CO2 in the walls.” The vision of TRIQBRIQ shows how innovative approaches can revolutionize the construction industry – towards greater sustainability and resource efficiency. “In light of the fact that the construction industry in Germany is responsible for 60 percent of waste generation, we are pleased to contribute to a more sustainable future with our BRIQs.” 

Panel discussion: Circular economy – Utilizing agricultural and forestry biomass 

In the concluding panel, experts discuss the opportunities and challenges of the circular economic use of biomass from agriculture and forestry. Annkathrin Wahbi, Innovation Manager at Rootcamp GmbH, traces untapped potentials of various crops: “In our projects, we conduct value chain and gap analyses to identify new or once relevant uses for plants. I find the currently utilized hemp particularly exciting, which is versatile, for example, as oil, milk substitute, and in textile production. Farmers who grow hemp should be specifically supported to master the transition from niche.” 

Dr. Petra Meyer-Ziegenfuß, Head of Department for Waste Law, Product Responsibility, and Waste Management Planning at the Hesse Ministry of Agriculture, agrees with Wahbi: “It is exactly the right approach to consider a more diverse use of plants. When a product is utilized mostly, the amount of waste decreases. I found straw as a building material a great example.” Meyer-Ziegenfuß hopes for intensive exchange with universities and practitioners: “If we are convinced by an idea, we, as a ministry, will do everything we can to create optimal conditions.” 

Dr. Wilhelm Klümper, Theme Manager for “Land Use in Bioeconomy” at the think tank Agora Agrar, advocates for a greater use of residual materials for biogas production. “We have a large untapped potential in residual-based biogas.” Although Germany is already a leader in biogas production, he advocates for further expansion of biogas plants, “as ecologically produced gas plays a major role in the transition to climate neutrality.”  

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“As a representative of the Mykolaiv Water Hub in Ukraine, I am participating for the first time in an event organized by TechQuartier in Frankfurt. I am very impressed by the ecosystem here, with its multitude of experts, government representatives, and investors. I found the lectures on circular economy particularly interesting. I would like to apply the insights gained productively back home. New input helps us develop or improve concepts for utilizing our resources more efficiently and achieving ecological benefits. Especially in the current energy crisis in Ukraine, the importance of such international exchanges is evident.” 

Olga Trofimtseva, Agrifood Team Lead, Mykolaiv Water Hub 

About the Growth Alliance Networking Summit 

In 2023, the event launched as part of the Growth Alliance, a joint initiative by Rentenbank and TechQuartier on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The goal of the Growth Alliance is to strengthen the innovative power of German agriculture and the food industry in times of climatic, ecological, and societal change. For this purpose, founders are brought together with experts from business and science, investors, and other relevant actors to further develop their business models.  

In addition to lectures, start-up pitches, and panels on the topics of “Plant-based Proteins,” “Circular Economy,” “Biodiversity,” and “Next Gen AgriFood,” guests at GANS 2024 also experienced reverse pitches, where investors presented their profiles and funding priorities. The finale of the Demo Day and an award ceremony for the accompanying start-up boot camp of the Growth Alliance also took place.