The Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2025 was awarded on the evening of 19 November. One of the other teams nominated came out on top, and yet the nomination of traceless remains a remarkable achievement for the innovative Hamburg start-up.
The Hamburg start-up traceless materials GmbH was one of three teams to reach the final of the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2025. On 19 November, it became clear whether Dr Anne Lamp, Sina Spingler and Niklas Rambow would receive the prestigious award from the Federal President for their project “Biomass instead of microplastics – innovative biomaterials replace fossil-based plastics”.
Breakthrough innovation against the plastics flood
The traceless team has developed a revolutionary natural plastic substitute based exclusively on natural polymers from plant residues and completely biodegradable – without chemical modification of the source materials. The thermoplastic granulate can be processed like conventional plastics using existing production facilities, enabling seamless integration into established manufacturing processes. This systemic solution simultaneously addresses global challenges such as plastic pollution, climate change and resource transition.
Successful scaling and funding
With a recently completed Series A financing round of €36.6 million, traceless is optimally placed for large-scale production. The company plans to substitute thousands of tonnes of conventional plastics with their sustainable material traceless®. With Tutech’s help, the start-up previously succeeded in securing EU funding worth €2.42 million via the EIC Accelerator.
Tutech as a development partner
The traceless start-up story is closely linked to Tutech: From Anne Lamp’s first consultation with the EU Office (July 2018) to the strategic acquisition of funding and the influential and successful nomination by Nils Neumann for the German Start-up Award, the Tutech start-up support network guided the company through all the crucial stages of its development. Dr Margarete Remmert-Rieper from the Enterprise Europe Network provided intensive support with the successful EIC Accelerator bid, and the traceless team worked together for the first time at the Start-up Camp – an intensive seminar for developing a business model that is largely co-organised by Nils Neumann.
Tutech’s Start-up Support
The key to lasting success
Choosing the right reliable partners can make a crucial difference from the outset. Even before setting up a company there are lots of steps that can secure a competitive advantage and lay firm foundations for the future. We can help to find the answers to fundamental questions at an early stage of the startup. They include working out your unique selling point, identifying a suitable business model or getting an all-round perspective of your company set-up. We can be your partner, assisting with drawing up business plans and market analyses and applying for grants, such as EXIST, working with you to market your good ideas precisely and rapidly and so achieve decisive advantages for your business success in the long term.
Having a good idea is just the start. Founding a successful start-up involves lots of separate steps, with lots more to come before a company is established on the market. Tutech has been guiding research and technology-based initiatives throughout the startup process for more than 30 years. As a key player in the Hamburg startup network, we ensure that start-ups are supported seamlessly from the initial idea though to the early phase of company growth. Here we work closely with the Startup Port at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH).
Since 2019, Hamburg’s largest universities and DESY have joined forces to promote and support academic start-ups more effectively. In 2023 this cooperation was extended to provide a central access point to the startup support units of all participating institutions through Startup Port. Our partner company Hamburg Innovation jointly operates this project.
Choosing the right reliable partners can make a crucial difference from the outset. As a mediator and mentor, Tutech helps to satisfy genuine customer needs, translate innovations into unique selling points and take all important aspects into account. Success-oriented entrepreneurs use our professional support to get off to a flying start.
Startup Port start-up campus
Your innovation space
At the Startup Port in Harburger Schlossstraße, Tutech provides start-ups with modern office and working space. Whether it’s long-term offices for different-sized teams or temporary co-working spaces, our premises offer optimum technical facilities and good transport connections in the Binnenhafen Harburg innovative technology neighbourhood. This is where ideas, networks and successes are born.
Have you got an innovative idea? Get in touch! Together with our partners, we will turn your start-up into a strong company.