What Algenesis Labs does

Algenesis Labs is a San Diego-based materials science company founded in 2016 that develops plant- and algae-based polyurethane materials marketed under the Soleic® brand, with a focus on replacing petroleum-derived polyurethanes in footwear, consumer goods, and industrial applications. Its core technology converts plant oils (castor, hemp, algae) into diols, diacids, and diisocyanates to produce polyester polyurethanes that the company claims are fully biodegradable, non-toxic, and produce zero persistent microplastics (100% biodegradation in 220 days under ASTM D5338 testing). The platform includes the Soleic® A/B PU chemical system for low- and mid-density foams, the Soleic® TPU system for molding, extrusion, and film applications, the Bio-Iso™ phosgene-free isocyanate platform developed with P2 Science, and specific grades such as Soleic® LV02 (100% bio-based TPU) and Soleic® 1295A (3D printing grade).

The company's revenue model is primarily B2B enterprise chemical systems sales — direct sale of Soleic® A/B PU canisters and TPU pellets to manufacturing partners — augmented by custom formulation development and technical services. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales, channel partnerships (notably Safic-Alcan as primary European distributor from October 2025), co-development partnerships with brand consultancies (ACBC) and material innovators (ecogenesis biopolymers), and participation in Fashion for Good's 'The Next Stride' footwear initiative alongside adidas, Target, and Zalando. A direct-to-consumer proof-of-concept footwear brand, BLUEVIEW®, was launched in April 2022 to demonstrate the technology in finished products. Named commercial deployments include RhinoShield phone cases, Stoke Tracks ski pole baskets (~3,000+ sets since December 2023), NAMU Recovery Slides (December 2025), and a Trelleborg partnership for coated fabrics.

Algenesis is privately held, employs 11-50 people, and has raised approximately $9 million in equity alongside a five-year, $6 million U.S. Department of Energy contract for pilot plant construction. It holds nine pending patents, has published 17 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and maintains certifications including ISO 14001:2015, USDA BioPreferred®, REACH compliance, and EcoVadis Silver Medal (top 10th percentile). Customers and applications remain predominantly in pilot or early commercial stages as of the input data, with revenue figures explicitly undisclosed.

Name

Algenesis Labs

Legal name

Algenesis Corporation

Website

https://algenesislabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Algenesis Labs is a San Diego-based materials company founded in 2016 that develops plant- and algae-based biodegradable Soleic® polyurethane systems (foams and TPUs) for footwear, consumer goods, and industrial manufacturers seeking petroleum-free, microplastic-free alternatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bio-based Polyurethane Materials

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMANANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based Engineering Plastics & High-Performance Polymers (bio-PA, bio-PET, bio-PC blends) (IMANANAF), Bio-based Polymers & Bioplastics (e.g., PLA, PHA, bio-PE/PP/PET, PBS) (EUAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Plant-based polyurethanes
• Biodegradable plastics
• Bio-based materials
• Thermoplastic polyurethane systems
• Sustainable footwear materials

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Chemical Systems Sales: Sale of Soleic® A/B PU and TPU chemical systems to manufacturing partners. A/B PU delivered in canisters for foam applications; TPU delivered as pellets for injection molding, extrusion, and film applications. Revenue generated through direct B2B sales to footwear, consumer goods, automotive, and other manufacturers.
2. Formulation & Technical Services: Custom formulation development and technical support services working directly with partners to adapt Soleic® chemical systems to their specific product requirements. Includes specification matching, sample development, and production support.
3. BLUEVIEW® Brand (Proof of Concept): Direct-to-consumer sales of BLUEVIEW® branded footwear - the company's own proof-of-concept brand demonstrating Soleic® foam technology for ready-to-wear consumer footwear. Launched April 2022.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Algenesis Labs develops and sells plant-based, fully biodegradable polyurethane chemical systems under the Soleic® brand — the Soleic® A/B PU System (low- and mid-density foams delivered in canisters) and the Soleic® TPU System (thermoplastic polyurethanes delivered as pellets for molding, extrusion, coatings, and film applications). The materials are derived from plant oils (castor, hemp, algae) and are designed as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based polyurethanes in footwear, consumer goods, automotive, and industrial applications, with verified 50–65% greenhouse gas reduction and zero persistent microplastics.

Product overview

Algenesis Labs offers two core chemical systems for B2B partners: the Soleic® A/B PU System (for foam applications in footwear and furniture, delivered in canisters) and the Soleic® TPU System (for molding, extrusion, and film applications, delivered as pellets). The company also operates a proof-of-concept consumer brand called BLUEVIEW® Shoes to demonstrate the technology's application in finished footwear products. Specific product grades include Soleic® LV02 (100% bio-based TPU) and Soleic® 1295A (3D printing optimized grade). All products are plant-based, biodegradable, and designed to eliminate persistent microplastics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BLUEVIEW: The first fully biodegradable modern footwear brand launched by Algenesis Labs in 2022, showcasing Soleic® foam technology for ready-to-wear consumer footwear.

Products and services

• Soleic® A/B PU System Two-component plant-based polyurethane chemical system for creating low-density and mid-density foams, delivered to partners and factories in canisters. Offers 51–57% biocontent and 60–64% GHG emissions reductions versus petroleum-based AB/PU foams. Targets footwear midsoles/insoles, flip-flops, and furniture components.
• Soleic® TPU System Thermoplastic polyurethane system delivered as pellets for injection molding, extrusion, and film applications including coated textiles and elastomers. Features 61.9–87% bio-based content and 78–84% GHG emissions reductions versus petroleum-based TPU. Used by partners such as RhinoShield (phone cases), Stoke Tracks (ski pole baskets), Trelleborg (coated fabrics), and ecogenesis (3D printing).
• Soleic® LV02 A specific grade within the Soleic® TPU System validated as 100% bio-based carbon via third-party ASTM testing, supporting customer claims of fully renewable content without mass-balance accounting.
• Soleic® 1295A (genTPU 3D Printing Filament) A specific Soleic® TPU grade optimized for 3D printing applications, developed in partnership with ecogenesis biopolymers and sold as plant-based, biodegradable genTPU filament for sustainable additive manufacturing.
• BLUEVIEW® Shoes The company's own proof-of-concept consumer footwear brand — the first fully biodegradable modern footwear brand — designed to showcase Soleic® foam technology in ready-to-wear shoes and sold direct-to-consumer through blueviewfootwear.com.
• Soleic® Flip-Flops (Flipfloptimism / San Diego Tourism Authority x TED) Biodegradable flip-flops made with Soleic® foam, produced for the TED2026 conference through a partnership with the San Diego Tourism Authority, designed to break down without leaving persistent microplastics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50-65% greenhouse gas emissions reduction compared to petroleum-based alternatives
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, product, marketing and minor.

• P2 SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Strategic partnership to develop and commercialize algae-derived, biobased polyurethanes that are biodegradable and non-toxic. Leverages P2 Science's PIOz™ process and Algenesis's Bio-Iso™ platform. Collaboration aims to replace petroleum-based materials with sustainable alternatives across various consumer product applications, supported by scaled production efforts. Also seeks to eliminate microplastics and promote circularity.
• Safic-AlcancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2025Strategic distribution partnership making Safic-Alcan the primary supplier of Algenesis's Soleic plant-based, fully biodegradable TPU pellets across Europe. Agreement targets footwear, consumer goods, and technical applications sectors, leveraging Safic-Alcan's regional sales network, warehousing, and technical support to accelerate commercial adoption of circular polymer solutions in European markets.
• P2 Science (Algae-Derived Chemicals Development)coreTechnology or IntegrationDevelopment partnership using P2 Science's proprietary green chemistry processes to create algae-derived chemicals for 100% biobased, biodegradable polyurethanes.
• RhinoShieldcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPartnership with Taiwanese material technology company RhinoShield to create fully biodegradable phone cases using Soleic® TPU technology. RhinoShield is transitioning from recyclable TPE mono-material to fully biodegradable materials. Working with Algenesis formulations engineers to modify TPU formulations for phone case applications.
• Stoke TracksproductOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPartnership to create biodegradable ski pole baskets using Soleic® Elastomer technology. Since December 2023, over 3,000 sets of Stoke Tracks ski pole baskets have been made with Soleic® material. For every pair sold, Stoke Tracks donates $1 to Protect Our Winters (POW).
• ACBC (Anything Can Be Changed)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with award-winning Italian consultancy for responsible fashion and product design. ACBC serves over 100+ global luxury, performance, and lifestyle brands, guiding them towards sustainability goals. Collaboration creates opportunity to work with brands so new products can be designed for maximum sustainability, manufactured sustainably, and certified appropriately without compromising style and performance.
• ecogenesis biopolymerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop and distribute genTPU filament - plant-based, biodegradable material for 3D printing applications. Algenesis provided Soleic® TPU technology which was adapted for 3D printing through collaboration between Algenesis engineers and ecogenesis. Time from initial discussion to commercial product launch was less than 2 months.
• San Diego Tourism AuthoritymarketingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for 'Flipfloptimism' project - creating biodegradable flip-flops for TED2026 attendees. Flip-flops feature Soleic® foam with positive affirmations on the sole, promoting both footwear functionality and circular materials economy.
• TrelleborgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Trelleborg to create sustainable thermoplastic polyurethanes and coated fabrics using Soleic® technology. Trelleborg is a world leader in engineered polymer solutions. Collaboration focuses on developing coated fabric applications with full biodegradability.
• Fashion for Good 'The Next Stride' InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlgenesis Labs is a material innovator partner in Fashion for Good's 'The Next Stride' project - a 12-month initiative to replace fossil fuel-based footwear sole materials with bio-based polymers. Initiative involves partnerships with adidas, Target, and Zalando to test and validate sustainable alternatives. Project addresses footwear industry's environmental footprint where soles account for at least 40% of a shoe's total mass.
• NAMUproductOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNAMU launched Recovery Slide featuring Soleic® biodegradable polyurethane. Product designed for active recovery and environmental sustainability, aiming to restore foot alignment and support performance recovery while eliminating microplastics. Available December 1, 2025.
• Shoreline Community ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to provide sustainable sneakers made with Soleic® materials to San Diego's unsheltered neighbors. Social impact initiative combining product application with community benefit.
• U.S. Department of EnergycoreOthersFive-year, $6 million contract from Department of Energy for pilot plant construction. Supports scaling production of Soleic® plant-based polyurethane technology, reducing costs and broadening application of biodegradable plastics.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Covestro: Global polyurethane and TPU producer offering partially bio-based grades (e.g., Impranil® CQ/Desmopan® CQ). Comparable as a large incumbent polyurethane chemical supplier that Algenesis must displace or partner with to win mass-market footwear and industrial volume.
• BASF: Largest global chemical producer with a portfolio including bio-based polyurethanes and Ecovio® biodegradable plastics. Comparable as a broad incumbent across the same polymer value chain and end-markets (footwear, automotive, packaging, industrial coatings).

Direct peers

• NatureWorks: World's largest producer of PLA bioplastic resin used across packaging, consumer goods, and fibers. Directly comparable as a bio-based polymer resin manufacturer selling into similar downstream applications (footwear, packaging, consumer goods) where Algenesis's Soleic competes for share.
• Novamont: Italian producer of Mater-Bi® biodegradable bioplastic resins (based on starch/PBAT blends) used in packaging, retail bags, and consumer goods. Comparable as a biodegradable polymer resin manufacturer addressing microplastic-driven end-markets.
• Danimer Scientific: Developer of PHA-based bioplastic resins marketed under Nodax for biodegradable packaging, coatings, and consumer goods applications. Closely comparable as a bio-based/biodegradable polymer resin producer addressing microplastic replacement.
• Lubrizol: Major specialty chemical producer of thermoplastic polyurethanes (Estane® TPU) including bio-based TPU grades. Directly comparable as a TPU resin manufacturer serving footwear, consumer electronics, and industrial coated-fabric customers — Algenesis's core verticals.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture producing Luminy® PLA bioplastics for packaging, consumer goods, and durable applications. Directly comparable as a bio-based polymer resin manufacturer addressing the same sustainability positioning and downstream end-markets as Algenesis.

Emerging players

• Mango Materials: Producer of PHA biopolymers from biogas/methane feedstocks targeting packaging, textiles, and consumer goods. Comparable as an emerging bio-based and biodegradable polymer resin developer pursuing analogous end-use adoption strategies.
• Avantium: Dutch biorefinery company commercializing plant-based PEF polymers for packaging and fibers. Comparable as an emerging bio-based polymer platform company pursuing similar sustainability-driven brand partnerships and licensing models.

Others

• Ecogenesis Biopolymers: Strategic partner commercializing Algenesis's Soleic® TPU as genTPU filament for 3D printing. Adjacent/ecosystem peer — an integrator enabling end-market access rather than a resin competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/algenesis-materials
• Instagraminstagram.com/soleicmaterials?igsh=YmV3djZsc3N5Zzlo

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Algenesis Labs