14/10/2026
Polium Scientific has earned a place in the Global Grand Final of ClimateLaunchpad, the world's largest green business ideas competition, to be held in Singapore, after securing a top-two position in the European final following its success in the Turkish national final.
Polium Scientific, a SUCool startup founded by Sabancı University Industrial Engineering graduate Mehmet Coşan, Materials Science and Nanoengineering graduate Sarp Kölgesiz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hayriye Ünal, a researcher at the Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), and Dr. Serkan Ünal, a faculty member in Sabancı University's Materials Science and Nanoengineering Program, secured a top-two position in the European final of ClimateLaunchpad, organized by Climate KIC in collaboration with Bank of America, earning the opportunity to compete in the Global Grand Final.
This year, ClimateLaunchpad received more than 4,600 applications worldwide, including over 600 from Europe. Standing out in this highly competitive field, Polium Scientific successfully advanced through every stage of the competition, becoming one of only two startups selected to represent Europe on the global stage.
Step by Step to Singapore
Polium Scientific's journey began approximately six weeks ago at the Turkish national final, where the team finished second and qualified for the European final. Competing against 39 climate startups from across Europe, Polium Scientific advanced to the final eight. In the live-streamed final round, the team presented its solution to the jury and secured a place among the top two, earning an invitation to the Global Grand Final in Singapore.
A Year of International Achievements
Polium Scientific's success at ClimateLaunchpad marks the latest in a series of international achievements. The startup won first place in the Food and Agriculture Technology category at the EIT Jumpstarter 2025 Grand Final, organized by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the European Union's innovation body.
Polium Scientific was also selected among Europe's 50 most promising food startups through the EIT Food Seedbed Incubator program.
The Science Behind the Award-Winning Technology: An Innovative Solution to Food Waste
The patented technology that captured the attention of the juries is based on porous polymer foams. These foams simultaneously absorb ethylene gas and moisture, extending the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables by up to 30%. In doing so, the technology helps reduce both food waste and the carbon emissions associated with it.
Commenting on their achievement, Mehmet Coşan, Co-Founder of Polium Scientific, said:
"Being among the top two in a competition that attracted more than 4,600 startups worldwide is incredibly meaningful to us. This achievement demonstrates that our team's hard work and the technology we have developed are gaining recognition on the international stage. What began at the Turkish national final led us to a European final where we competed alongside some of Europe's most promising climate startups, and ultimately brought us to Singapore. The moment the results were announced during the live broadcast was when we truly felt that all our months of hard work had paid off.
Food waste is an important yet often overlooked aspect of the climate crisis, and one for which solutions are within our reach. What started as scientific research has now brought us to the global final. As we prepare for Singapore, our goal is to represent not only Polium Scientific but also Türkiye's climate technology ecosystem in the best possible way. We would like to thank our professors, mentors, and everyone who has believed in and supported us throughout this journey."
About Polium Scientific
Polium Scientific is a deep-tech startup developing porous polymer foam-based active packaging solutions designed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Winner of the Food and Agriculture Technology category at EIT Jumpstarter 2025, Polium Scientific will compete in the ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final.
poliumscientific.com
