S.Lab

About S.Lab

S.Lab, a Ukrainian startup founded in 2020, is addressing plastic pollution by creating biodegradable packaging from agricultural waste and mushroom mycelium. The company was co-founded by Julia Bialetska (CEO) and Eugene Tomilin (CTO). The inspiration for S.Lab came during a trip to Bali in 2017, where the founders witnessed the extent of plastic pollution on the beaches, motivating them to find a sustainable alternative. Bialetska has a background in biotechnology and over a decade of experience in project and product management, while Tomilin is a serial entrepreneur with experience in automating production lines.

The company has developed a proprietary technology to produce a material that serves as an alternative to expanded polystyrene (styrofoam). This material is created by combining hemp stalks with mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, which acts as a natural binder. The resulting packaging is fully biodegradable, decomposing in soil within 30-45 days. A key feature of their manufacturing process is a robotic system that shapes the material, eliminating the need for single-use plastic molds and allowing for custom shapes and sizes. The product is also waterproof and provides thermal insulation, making it suitable for various applications.

S.Lab operates on a business-to-business model, providing custom packaging solutions for a range of industries, including cosmetics, personal care, luxury fashion, jewelry, and electronics. The company serves both Ukrainian and European clients, with a significant portion of its sales coming from the EU. Having faced challenges, including the outbreak of war in Ukraine which forced a temporary relocation to Spain, the company has shown resilience. S.Lab has secured funding from various sources, including an initial personal investment of $40-50,000 from the founders, €80,000 from the Startup Wise Guys accelerator in 2022, a €700,000 pre-seed round in 2023 from investors like Vesna Capital and ZAS Ventures, and $100,000 in equity-free funding from the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund.