Client Spotlight
The newest client at the WMed Innovation Center is Earthodic. Earthodic develops bio-based barrier coatings for pulped and paper products that are not only water-resistant but can also be repulped and recycled. Launched in Brisbane, Australia, in 2022 by four co-founders (Fiona Donaghey, Melissa Mail, Dr. Anthony Musumeci, and Albert Tietz), Earthodic successfully raised a pre-seed amount of $1.35 million from Investible, Tenacious Ventures, Twynam and US-based Closed Loop Partners in 2023. That funding round was quickly followed by a $4 million seed round in 2024 that included eight new investment partners.
Earthodic CEO Anthony Musumeci stated, “We are extremely humbled to receive funding support from leading funds in the sustainability and climate space across Australia, US, and Asia. With Earthodic’s expansion to the USA and manufacturing partnerships, we’re really excited to roll out our sustainable barrier coatings with packaging companies and household brands. Helping them achieve many of their sustainability goals and eliminate non-recyclable packaging waste is the mission that drives our team.”
Earthodic has established its US headquarters at the WMed Innovation Center. This location is ideal as it offers proximity to Western Michigan University’s Pilot Coating Plant and Tappi Lab as well as several local paper and packaging companies. Earthodic works with WMU’s Pilot Plant to conduct various coating trials. These trials have confirmed Earthodic’s sustainable coatings to be a true drop-in solution on commercial coating lines, allowing packaging companies to offer more sustainable and circular solutions to their customers with minimal disruption to their existing operations.
Two of Earthodic's products have earned the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Certified Biobased Product Label. External testing verified that the carbon contained in their coatings is ‘new carbon’ from 100% bio-based, renewable sources rather than ‘old carbon’ from fossil or petroleum-based sources – keeping already captured carbon in the ground.
Sandra Cochrane, assistant dean of the Innovation Center, said, “We are excited to welcome Earthodic to the Innovation Center. Their research and development of bio-based coatings is a wonderful fit with our mission to support high-tech companies utilizing biology and chemistry sciences. Our location next door to the WMU Pilot Plant is a happy coincidence that will benefit Earthodic immensely. We look forward to a long, successful relationship with Earthodic.”
About Earthodic: Earthodic is on a mission to advance the global transition to a circular economy. We help companies within the paper industry and their customers adopt more sustainable packaging solutions. Earthodic's proprietary coatings achieve key barrier properties for paper-based packaging, helping to eliminate plastic packaging waste that ends up in landfill. They are certified curbside recyclable and the carbon contained in them is 100% bio-based. Earthodic coatings utilize lignin, a by-product of the pulp and paper industry, and are a drop-in solution for existing coating infrastructure. Established in 2022, Earthodic has operations across Australia and the USA. To learn more, visit www.earthodic.com
About the WMed Innovation Center: Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the WMed Innovation Center is the place to start and grow a life science, technology, or engineering venture. The 69,000-square-foot, purpose-built incubator and co-working space was created to support the earliest startups to maturing companies with subsidized, low-cost laboratory, office and conference space, high-quality scientific equipment and expertise, and a wide range of support services. For more information, visit wmedic.wmed.edu.