I want to help the world move to a system where we reuse and recycle everything, which is happening now. Using eco-friendly chemistry and cutting down on plastic waste are key parts of this change.

Kateryn Marcela Carrillo

Kateryn comes from a family of entrepreneurs. Her father is an engineer just like her – and her business partner. Her three years of experience working with social businesses in Germany have significantly shaped her entrepreneurial vision. She wants to contribute to a better world and her business to have an environmental and social impact. Kateryn and her team of four researchers create materials from renewable natural resources such as plants and organic waste.

These materials are transformed into a variety of products, including bags, packaging films, and cutlery. 

All materials that Natupla has developed so far are biodegradable and can be composted at the end of their life cycle. In other words, Natupla helps reduce dependency on fossil resources and mitigates pollution from microplastics and toxic residues in the environment.

What makes Natupla’s materials particularly appealing to potential clients is that they match traditional plastics in quality, performance, and cost. Beyond bioplastics, Natupla has recently expanded into new business fields, including bioadhesives and biofertilizers.

I see plenty of opportunities in Colombia. We not only have lots of natural resources and agricultural waste that we can use as raw materials for our products, but we also have the intellectual capacity to develop solutions to the waste crisis on our own. We can create a whole new industry in Colombia and generate lots of new jobs.