5 Years Polytives GmbH: How it all started, where we are now, and what’s next?
The Beginning: When Polytives Was Still “Hyperflow”
When chemist Oliver Eckardt and Prof. Felix H. Schacher decided in 2014 to shape the topic of Oliver’s dissertation and commenced their research, neither of them anticipated that this would ultimately lay the foundation for the establishment of Polytives.
Originally initiated as a ZIM project at Friedrich-Schiller-University in Jena, it soon became clear that their developed technology had immense potential — too much to not at least attempt to bring it to market maturity. Thus began their journey, initially supported by an EXIST research transfer grant, ultimately leading to the founding of the company.
After foundational research and a research stay in Belgium by Oliver Eckardt, Viktoria Rothleitner joined the team in 2017. With her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and currently studying for her Master’s in “Business Administration for Scientists,” she added essential business expertise. Together, in July 2017, the three founders successfully applied for EXIST funding, which kicked off the project in March 2018—initially still under the name “Hyperflow.”
Two years later, again in March, the official founding took place with the company’s registration in the commercial registry. During these two years, the team built a solid network, demonstrated proof-of-concept, established a scalable synthesis method, and further expanded the team. And although March 2020 also marked the start of something completely different, the team quickly adapted, successfully advancing their goals digitally and remotely.
The Journey Begins: From Project to Acceleration
The originally four-person team, with co-founder and scientific advisor Prof. Schacher remaining an integral part, not only relocated multiple times in the following years but also reached a series of significant milestones. These included continuous technological advancements, company growth, diversification of expertise within the team, multiple funding rounds, and prestigious awards — all leading up to the move into the future production facility in 2024.
Beyond these milestones, Polytives has showcased its technology at various trade fairs, including live demonstrations in Friedrichshafen, carried out extensive sample testing, and successfully scaled up production to an industrial level. Numerous strategic partnerships have also been established, including collaborations with institutions such as TITK e.V., as well as renowned distributors and mid-sized companies. Together, these partnerships drive continuous optimization and the implementation of projects that provide customers with an ever-expanding range of benefits.
What Lies Ahead?
While 5 years of Polytives GmbH signify a dynamic history filled with achieved milestones, these 5 years are truly just the beginning for the team. Plans are underway to establish in-house production facilities, complementing existing contract manufacturing partners and further accelerating product development to create even greater value for customers. Because that’s what drives Polytives: a unique platform technology capable of providing innovative solutions to numerous global challenges in the plastics industry.
And since space in a blog post is limited, we’ll just say for now: to be continued! 😉
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