In 2009, Technical Research Centre of Finland’s (VTT) cellulose expert, Juha Salmela, heard a presentation from a leading spider researcher, who explained the similarities between spider web protein and nanocellulose. Salmela began investigating whether wood fiber could be spun into textile fiber in a similar way. After four years of research, the idea spun off from the laboratory into an industrial pilot, and then into the startup Spinnova, earning Salmela the title of 2018’s European CTO of the Year in the category for small and medium-size companies.
Spinnova ( Wool)
