Selection of technology startups for Ilim Group, organized by the corporate accelerator GenerationS by RVC, is completed.

The short list includes 33 teams from Russia, Canada, the USA, Georgia, Finland, Sweden, and other countries, 13 of which have presented their development projects to Ilim Group top management in St. Petersburg.

The expert panel included Ilim Group executives in charge of strategic development, finance, operations, capital projects, and packaging business.

The projects presented during the in-person selection process included:
• Quva — software to analyze big data at the P&P mills;
• Timbeter — a digital solution to measure wood;
• Statanly Technologies — machine learning and analysis services and modules;
• CollectiveCrunch — SaaS-solution to predict wood mass, wood species and quality based on climatic, geographic and technological data;
• AnneaLT — a platform for creation of digital twins in the industry;
• Kazan National Research Technological University — complete animal feed from biomass and plant-based materials preliminary activation technology;
• Voronezh State Forest Technical University – modified wood for construction; • NWB (New Beverage Packaging) — new drinks packaging format;
• FilEko — production of biodegradable composites from nettle.

The finalists include development projects in the areas such as nanocellulose, new pulp-based materials (composites and biocomposites), biodegradable packaging materials, alternative raw materials to produce pulp, wood waste monetization, and others. Each project will undergo individual consideration in terms of developing business cases and partnership formats: investments, provision of sites and raw materials for piloting, technology licensing, or expert support.

“We are looking not only for ready-to-use technologies, products, and technology partners, but also for strong development teams that are in the innovation-driven development mainstream in Ilim’s key focus areas, which are defined in line with changes in the strategic context, global megatrends, and future consumption patterns. In the future, we are planning to actively expand our collaboration with the innovation community in Russia and abroad, making the most of external expert reviews to accelerate the development and launch of the products fundamentally new for Ilim,” — said Dmitry Grechkin, Senior Vice-President, Strategic Development, Ilim Group.

“Taking into account the wide scope of the project search and strong interest among both Russian and foreign startups, we have collected a large number of applications and performed a detailed analysis in terms of technical feasibility, team competencies and market prospects. Based on the assessment results, we have selected 33 projects, which will be considered in terms of potential integration into Ilim Group business,” – said Ekaterina Petrova, director of GenerationS corporate accelerator.

Ilim Group corporate accelerator for technology start-ups aimed to create innovative technologies and materials for their further application in various industries was launched in September 2018. Since its launch, over 170 startups from all over the world have been considered within the framework of the accelerator.

Reference information: :

Ilim Group is the leader of the Russian pulp and paper industry in terms of market share, output and investment volumes, and one of the industry leaders globally. International Paper, the world's largest pulp and paper manufacturer, is the strategic partner of Ilim Group. Over the past few years, Ilim Group has invested USD 3.2 billion to develop its own mills, which is an unprecedented figure for the Russian pulp and paper industry. In 2018, Ilim Group’s sites reached a record-high output of 3.4 million tons of market products. Presently, Ilim Group supplies its products to more than 70 countries worldwide. Ilim Group corporate accelerator for technology start-ups aimed to create innovative technologies and materials for their further application in various industries was launched in September 2018. Since its launch, over 170 startups from all over the world have been considered within the framework of the accelerator.

About GenerationS
GenerationS is a federal platform for corporate acceleration tools development. It has been held by RVC* since 2013. At present, the infrastructure of the accelerator includes more than 14,000 start-ups from 30 countries, 400 corporate and ecosystem partners. GenerationS became the first Russian accelerator to enter the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) created by Techstars. www.generation-startup.ru
* JSC Russian Venture Company (JSC RVC) is a state fund of funds and an institution for development of the Russian venture capital market.