The Italian startup has developed award-winning composite technology to address the problems associated with disposal of yachts at the of their life.
Boats are frequently abandoned in fields, marinas, and on the seabed, due to the high costs associated with disposal. An EU study recently found that of 80,000 abandoned boats on the continent, only 2,000 were disposed of properly.
Northern Light Composites (nlcomp) was born in response to this problem. Founded in 2019 by Fabio Bignolini, Andrea Paduano, and Piernicola Paoletti, nlcomp is developing recyclable composite materials for the construction of sailboats. The team recently launched their second crowdfunding campaign in preparation for the arrival of two new projects made with their rComposite technology.
They are also preparing to expand into additional verticals, given that recyclable composite can be used across various industries - from furniture and accessories, to automotive and wind turbines. The startup has already entered into various agreements with global composite companies, including Arkema, NMG and Breton.
Two new boats (one for racing and one for sport cruising) are currently being designed by Matteo Polli, a talented Yacht Designer who also sits on the nlcomp board. Thermoplastic matrix resins and low-impact raw materials such as linen fiber and basalt will be used in the construction, as well as Atlas HPE by NMG. This will be a huge milestone for the industry at large, given that this type and length of boat made from sustainable materials has never been built before.
The Italian startup has presented four prototypes to-date (Ecoprimus, EcoOptimist, EcoRacer, and EcoFoiler), obtained awards throughout Europe (Design Innovation Award, World Sailing Sustainability Award, Sailor of the Year and Foiling Awards ) and won the 2022 Italian Minialtura Championship. Their EcoRacer prototype is also a candidate for the European Yacht of the Year award, which will be awarded at Boot Düsseldorf next year.
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