Speaker

About the speaker: 

Pierre Paslier is a London-based Innovation Design Engineer who has spent his career exploring the intersection of design and technology. He started his career as a Packaging Engineer for L’Oréal, where he worked during the day and experimented with 3D-printing in his free time. This passion for innovation led him to study design at the Royal College of Art, where he co-designed one of the first consumer delta 3D-printers.

After completing his studies, Pierre co-founded two startups: Gravity Sketch, which creates 3D designs in virtual reality, and Notpla, which focuses on developing sustainable packaging. Currently, Pierre is the Co-CEO of Notpla, where he is dedicated to finding solutions to the global plastic crisis through his work on packaging made from seaweed. Notpla won Prince William’s £1,000,000 Earthshot Prize in 2022.

Pierre has a Masters degree from the RCA’s Innovation Design Engineering program and INSA de Lyon. He has written articles for Wired Magazine and given presentations at TEDx conferences in Athens and Warwick. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub and a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of Imperial College London Dyson School of Design Engineering.

Company info:

Notpla is a sustainable packaging innovator developing scalable materials made from seaweed and plants. Behind these products is a company deeply committed to making the planet a healthier place. Winner of the prestigious Earthshot Prize in 2022, Notpla are famed for their natural alternatives to everyday single-use plastics and established, industrially scaled solutions. These plastic-free alternatives include seaweed-coated food containers, edible liquid bubbles and flexible film replacements. To date, their solutions have already replaced 16 million pieces of single-use plastic from entering our environment.

Presentation:

Pierre Paslier, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Notpla, will examine Notpla's journey in transforming seaweed into sustainable packaging solutions. As a pioneering case study, Notpla demonstrates how innovative thinking can develop commercially viable alternatives to conventional plastic while addressing real-world market needs.

The discussion will cover Notpla's evolution from concept to industrial production, highlighting their technical innovations, strategic partnerships, and scaling processes. By sharing lessons from their experience, this case study offers valuable insights for the broader seaweed industry on developing rigorous standards, creating consumer adoption pathways, and building sustainable supply chains—essential elements for successfully professionalising seaweed applications.