Tokyo-based Mitsui Chemicals has taken a minority stake in Canadian startup Materia Bioworks, betting on artificial intelligence to accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable materials.

 

Materia Bioworks, based in Toronto, uses computational chemistry and artificial intelligence to develop MAPS (Material Application Prediction System), a platform designed to speed up the development of sustainable materials, including bioplastics.

 

The investment targets a major obstacle in the bioplastics market: development has traditionally been expensive and time-consuming. By combining AI with computational chemistry, Materia Bioworks aims to streamline material design and formulation, potentially cutting development costs and reducing the cost of bioplastics themselves.

 

MAPS is built to support several stages of sustainable-material development.

 

Its Material Design function uses AI to formulate and design bioplastics based on target performance requirements, including thermal, mechanical, permeability and other physical properties.

 

The platform also offers Manufacturing Optimization, using digital twins to simulate customers’ production lines and recommend optimal processing and manufacturing conditions.

 

A proprietary Marketplace connects customers with verified bioplastic suppliers, while Compliance Support helps companies navigate regulatory approvals for bioplastics in different countries through a database covering biomaterials and biodegradable materials.

 

For Mitsui Chemicals, the investment is aimed at putting its biomass-based materials to work through Materia Bioworks’ AI-driven platform and expanding its global offering of bioplastic materials.

 

The Japanese chemicals group also plans to explore joint development with Materia Bioworks, with the two companies potentially working together to create new bioplastic materials that meet specific customer performance and quality requirements.

 

The partnership combines Mitsui Chemicals’ materials and technology capabilities with Materia Bioworks’ AI-based design platform—an approach the companies hope will make sustainable materials faster and more efficient to develop and bring to market.