Prestigious industry recognition honors breakthrough in biodegradable polyurethane technology — Soleic® by Algenesis Labs
Algenesis Labs announced today that its groundbreaking biodegradable polyurethane technology Soleic® has been named the winner of the 2025 Polyurethane Innovation Award by the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The award, presented at the 2025 Polyurethanes Technical Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, recognizes the year’s most outstanding technical advancement in the polyurethane industry.
“We are deeply honored to receive the 2025 Polyurethane Innovation Award for Soleic®. This recognition validates our mission to create high-performance materials that not only meet the needs of industry but also safeguard our planet,” said Stephen Mayfield, CEO of Algenesis Labs. “At Algenesis, we believe science can solve the problem of persistent plastics, and this award is a testament to the hard work and passion of our team and partners who share this vision. Together, we’re proving that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand, paving the way toward a cleaner, more resilient future.”
Soleic® is a novel polyurethane technology that meets the performance demands of traditional polyurethane applications while addressing one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: microplastics. Soleic® polyols are USDA BioPreferred certified at 100% biocontent and are made from renewable, plant-based raw materials that do not compete with food or contribute to deforestation. At end-of-life, Soleic® is designed to fully biodegrade in compost, soil, and marine environments, breaking down into CO₂ and biomass instead of persisting in ecosystems.
“This recognition from CPI reinforces what our team has worked tirelessly toward, developing materials that perform like traditional plastics but do not persist in our environment for decades to millenia,” said Ryan Simkovsky, Chief Technical Officer at Algenesis Labs. “It’s exciting to see the polyurethane industry embrace innovation that drives real environmental impact.”
The Polyurethane Innovation Award honors companies and individuals whose vision and determination lead to the creation of technologies that enhance lives and advance the industry. Eligible innovations include products, chemistries, initiatives, and processes first introduced to the U.S. market between June 2023 and June 2025.
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