Behind the Nomination: traceless® in the running for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2025
- traceless
- Sep 19
- 5 min read
When traceless® got founded in 2020, it was with one clear mission: to create materials that enable a future free from pollution and waste. A future where industries work with nature, not against it.
That vision has guided our work ever since - because if we want that future, we have to act now. It means being bold, taking risks, and creating innovations that have never been done before. This mindset has shaped traceless® from day one and still drives us today.
This week, that spirit was honoured in a very special way: traceless® has been nominated for The Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2025, one of Germany’s most prestigious science and innovation awards. The award celebrates projects that combine technological progress with clear benefits for society, the environment, and the economy - exactly what drives us at traceless®.
How We Turn Vision Into Impact
For us, this nomination is about more than the what — it also recognizes the how. Because scaling a world-first innovation from lab to industry is no easy path. It means navigating uncharted territory, building structures that have never existed before, and proving that ecological and economical goals can go hand in hand. Most of all, it’s about rethinking how industries and nature can work together.
At traceless®, this how is shaped by three simple innovation principles that guide everything we do:
Learn from nature — and combine it with industry
Nature has long had its own recycling system: plants, animals and microorganisms work with natural polymers like starch, cellulose and proteins. These are biodegradable, but in raw form they’re brittle, water-soluble, and lack the thermoplastic properties needed for industrial use. Because for technical applications, we need materials that are meltable and malleable – just like plastics.
Our challenge was to bridge this gap. With our patented process, we use agricultural residues to extract these natural polymers, functionalize and granulate them. In the process, the natural polymers are arranged in such a way that they acquire thermoplastic properties - and with that, traceless® became the first plastic-free thermoplastic on the market.
Think ecological and economical
From the very beginning, we knew that a solution would only matter if manufacturers could adopt it easily. That’s why traceless® granulate is designed to run on existing processing equipment and deliver many of the same functional properties as plastics — making the switch both practical and scalable within today’s industrial systems.
Our patented process is resource-efficient, saving up to 90% of CO₂ emissions compared to the production and disposal of conventional plastics. And because traceless® granulate works with standard technologies — from coatings to injection moulding to extrusion — manufacturers can integrate it directly into their production lines.
The result? End products that look, feel, and perform like plastics (eg. grease- and moisture-repellent, heat-sealable, with barrier functions and adhesion to paper), but without the environmental drawbacks.
Scalability is key
Sustainability with scale remains a niche. That’s why scaling has always been central to our work. From our first pilot plant, to the large-scale facility now under construction, and soon our commercial market entry, every step has been about proving that a world-first innovation can move beyond the lab and into the market.
Three Days in Munich
And this week, our material innovation, and the principles behind it, took center stage at the Deutscher Zukunftspreis nominee program. Representing traceless®, Anne Lamp (CEO & Co-Founder), Sina Spingler (COO), and Niklas Rambow (Head of Technology Development) traveled to Munich for the official program. There, Anne presented our innovation and principles at the official press conference and later to the public at Wissenschaft für Jedermann. The team also met the jury for the first time and exchanged with the other nominees. Missed it? You can rewatch the presentations here:
For us, the days in Munich were a chance to share our story, meet pioneers from other fields, and feel how much attention and momentum there is right now for sustainable innovation.
Voices from traceless®
Amidst the busy program, Anne, Sina, and Niklas also sat down with us for a deeper conversation about what this milestone means — for them personally, and for traceless®.
Q: Anne, what does this nomination mean to you — and why is it important?
''It shows that biobased, plastic-free materials are no longer niche, but on the radar of politics and society at the highest levels. Natural polymers are increasingly seen as key for building a competitive, climate-neutral, and resilient industry. For me personally, it’s a sign that we are on the right track - away from fossil dependencies and toward a circular bioeconomy where materials like traceless® circulate in harmony with nature.''
Q: As a woman founder in industrial innovation, does this nomination have a special meaning to you?
''Yes, definitely! Women are still underrepresented in this field, especially when it comes to industrial deep-tech and large-scale innovation. So this nomination is also a signal: women can and must be drivers of the major transformations of our time - in science, in industry, and in politics.''
Anne Lamp, CEO & Co-Founder: ''I’m proud that with traceless® we are showing what’s possible, and I hope that our story can inspire other women to take bold steps into areas where they are still underrepresented. For me, it’s not only about recognition, but also about opening doors for the next generation of innovators. ''
Q: Sina, how does traceless contribute to building the future of industry?
''At traceless® we prove that industry can transform - not only through technology, but also through mindset. We’re showing that sustainable materials at industrial scale are possible, and that the shift to a circular economy is within reach if we dare to take bold steps.''
Q: What excites you most about the path ahead?
Sina Spingler, COO: ''That we’re not only shaping a product, but also shaping how people work and what they work for - showing that industrial jobs can be purpose-driven. Many of our Tracies highlight that they chose to work here to create a better future, it's a personal goal for many of us. We are setting a new standard for industrial jobs, making them both innovative and deeply meaningful.''
Q: Niklas, from a technology perspective, what does this nomination highlight?
''It underlines that sustainability and economic viability can go hand in hand. We’ve shown that natural polymer materials are not just ecologically necessary, but also economically scalable. That combination is essential for making real impact at an industrial level.''
Q: And what future step does this recognition give momentum for?
Niklas Rambow, Head of Technology Development: ''It gives us tailwind for further financing, scaling production, and strengthening Germany as a hub for sustainable material innovation. For me, it’s a sign that our work is helping shape the industry of tomorrow.''
Looking Ahead
The official award ceremony will take place on 19 November 2025 in Berlin, broadcast live on ZDF in the presence of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Until then, we’ll continue what we set out to do five years ago: act boldly, scale innovation, and create the materials of the future! Thank you for being part of our journey.