Just hop on the metro in Helsinki's city centre and in 30 minutes you can ride through Finland's leading green transition hub, the Green Line in Espoo. The Helsinki–Espoo metro line links key Finnish research centres, Otaniemi's deep tech startup community, the Keilaniemi corporation hub, and educational institutions focused on green chemistry, circular economy, and clean technology.
In this article, you can discover five deep tech startups located along the Green Line that are transforming the production of sustainable, plant-based biomaterials for packaging, protein ingredients, personal care products, and more.
Origin by Ocean: Converting seaweed into 100% bio-based and biodegradable ingredients for care products
Origin by Ocean is a green chemistry company transforming harmful algae into high-value, sustainable ingredients for consumer goods. The company harvests invasive Sargassum seaweed and converts it into 100% bio-based and biodegradable materials that can replace petroleum-based ingredients in cosmetics, food, nutraceuticals and material science.
Origin by Ocean's patented biorefinery technology converts seaweed into multiple functional ingredients through a single industrial process. The company has chosen Sargassum as its primary feedstock due to both the environmental damage caused by large-scale algal blooms and the material's strong potential as a regenerative industrial resource. It is also exploring additional algae sources, including blue-green algae and responsibly farmed fucus.
By building the world's first industrial-scale Sargassum biorefinery to produce high-value ingredients, Origin by Ocean aims to turn ocean overgrowth into scalable environmental and economic value — supporting local coastal communities and businesses as part of the process.
Nordic Bioproducts Group: Renewing Microcrystalline cellulose with improved environmental performance and industrial efficiency
A biomaterials company founded in 2019, Nordic Bioproducts Group (NBG) specialises in sustainable, advanced cellulose technologies. NBG produces high-value biomaterials designed to replace fossil-based products, with applications ranging from packaging and textiles to advanced industrial products. In January 2026, Japan's Oji Holdings Corporation, one of the world's largest forest industry companies, acquired a 20% ownership stake in NBG.
NBG has developed new ways to produce Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) (a plant-based material widely used in food production, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics). With the NBG's patented AaltoCell® technology, MCC can be manufactured with improved environmental performance while maintaining high product quality and industrial efficiency.
NBG was founded to transform 100 years of Finnish renewable biomass research into a business. And there is no better place to do this than along the Green Line in the Otaniemi area in Espoo. NBG collaborates closely with Aalto University, for example, utilising laboratory facilities and research services to support product development and analysis.
"The real competitive advantage in Otaniemi is the highly educated people, top-level research, and a culture of collaboration. Our goal is to take the knowledge created in the research institutions and turn it into scalable industrial solutions," says Olli Kähkönen, NBG's CEO.
Walki: Packaging and engineered material solutions designed for circularity
Walki is another sustainable new materials company that Oji Holdings has invested in along the Green Line. Walki is a Finnish pioneer in circular economy that Oji acquired in 2024.
Walki focuses on packaging and engineered material solutions designed for circularity. The company is among the global leaders in fibre-based packaging materials and in the paperisation field. As proof of the company's systematic sustainability excellence, Walki has received the EcoVadis Gold Medal and is globally in the top 5% among players assessed.
While Walki has production locations across Finland, Europe, and Asia, Espoo offered Oji an excellent landing spot in Europe as its headquarters.
"This is a convenient location for us, and the work-life balance is excellent here. Espoo is next to Helsinki, the capital of Finland, and we can travel very easily to the locations where Walki has factories," Teruyuki Mori, Walki Holding Oy Executive Director, said in our interview.
Woamy: Next-generation sustainable biofoam materials mimicking the cellular structure of wood
Woamy is an Aalto University spinout developing next-generation biofoam materials as sustainable alternatives to plastic foams. Originating from the Foamwood research project and backed by more than a decade of scientific research, the company has developed a patented biofoam technology that mimics the cellular structure and directional strength of wood. The result is a lightweight yet exceptionally strong material designed for industrial-scale applications.
Woamy's biofoam is fully bio-based, non-toxic, biodegradable, and recyclable alongside cardboard, offering a circular solution for protective packaging without generating microplastics. The material combines high strength with low weight, enabling effective product protection while reducing transportation weight and environmental impact. Its dust-free surface, soft texture, and flexible post-processing options also allow for premium finishing and tailored packaging solutions.
The company has successfully scaled its technology from lab development to pilot-scale production and is currently building larger manufacturing capacity while launching its first packaging pilot projects. Woamy is initially bringing its biofoam technology to market through protective packaging applications, with broader opportunities across multiple industries in the future.
Happy Plant Protein: High-value plant-based protein from local crops
Happy Plant Protein is turning locally grown crops, such as faba beans, oats, and peas, into high-value plant-based protein. The VTT spin-off's patented dry extrusion technology enables a more sustainable production model than conventional alternatives: more energy-efficient, with no chemical inputs, minimal water and energy use, and no side streams.
Happy Plant Protein's patented dry extrusion technology will be used in a new plant protein production facility in Latvia. The facility will be the first of its kind in Europe to process locally grown crops into high-value plant-based protein ingredients. The project is also the first industrial deployment of Happy Plant Protein's technology.
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Image: Origin by Ocean
AI note: Generative AI was used when writing this article.