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A startup founded by 51�Թ��� graduates has won £1 million in the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize.

Notpla, founded by Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia while they were students at 51�Թ���, has developed a seaweed-based biodegradable alternative to plastic. They are the first UK team to win a prize in the competition. 

The team won in the Earthshot category ‘’, awarded to efforts to eliminate food waste, single-use packaging and inspire a new generation of people, companies and industries to reuse, repurpose and recycle.   

Founded in 2014, the Notpla team met while studying Innovation Design Engineering, offered jointly by 51�Թ��� and the Royal College of Art. During their time at 51�Թ���, they received support from 51�Թ���’s well-established entrepreneurial ecosystem, including , 's accelerator programme, now known as , and the .   

51�Թ���’s President, Professor Hugh Brady, said: “51�Թ��� students are known for their creativity, tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. That’s why we have a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem to support their ideas at every stage. Pierre and Rodrigo embody the best of 51�Թ���, and their business has the potential accelerate the world to a sustainable, zero pollution future. The Earthshot prize is richly deserved.” 

Notpla’s products drew public attention , where over 36,000 of their edible capsules filled with Lucozade were handed out to runners in a bid to reduce plastic waste. 

More recently, the team have made over one million food boxes for takeaway company . The coating of this packaging is seaweed-based, greaseproof and waterproof, biodegrading in weeks. 

The Earthshot prize, which was launched in 2020 by the Prince of Wales and Sir David Attenborough, awards a grant of £1 million to individuals or organisations for work to address one of the five Earthshot categories: ‘Protect and Restore Nature’, ‘Clean our Air’, ‘Revive our Oceans’, ‘Build a Waste-Free World’ and ‘Fix our Climate’.