Notice dated 25 September 2023 The Challenges in Plastic Materials closed on 24 Septiember 2023 Thank you very much for your interest and participation! We will continue to evaluate the proposals that were received in a first-come, first-served basis.   Should you have any question, please write to innwai@rotoplas.com

innwai, the Open Innovation Hub by Rotoplas, invites you to participate: 

Challenges in Plastic Materials

CHALLENGE 1: DEVELOP ADDITIVES FOR PLASTICS FORMULATIONS

Terms for participation 

1.   About Rotoplas and innwai 

Rotoplas, a company of Mexican origin with more than 40 years of existence and presence in 14 countries in the Americas, in 2019 created "innwai, the Water Innovation Hub", a communication channel with the water innovation and sustainability ecosystem that seeks to identify and capture innovative and sustainable solutions to solve various water problems. In 2020 we launched our first challenge addressed to entrepreneurs, SMEs and Civil Society Organizations. 

With this new call: “Challenges in Plastic Materials” we search, openly and permanently, for solutions expected to be of great benefit for Rotoplas in the long term.

Why participate? (benefits for the participants)

Our goal is to find researchers, start-ups and companies that are currently working to solve these challenges, so that we can: 

• Establish a collaboration or partnership to implement the technology together. The type of collaboration or partnership will depend on the readiness of the technology and will be decided by common agreement,

or,

• Support them by giving them feedback and guidance about industry needs; either directly or participating as possible technology receptors within R&D projects funded by government or private, national or international, programmes that promote innovation.

2.    Characteristics of the solutions that Rotoplas is searching for with this call

 We search for technology developments that aim to solve the following challenge:

 Challenge 1: Develop additives for polyolefin formulations that are friendly to the environment and offer physical properties, durability and antibacterial protection

I. I. Why it is important:

 Currently the additives in the formulations of plastic resins used in plastic transformation processes can be toxic and harm the environment.

II. Expected Result: 

 Alternatives that are friendly to the environment (biodegradable), harmless, and that facilitate the recycling of resins. They should also be low-cost, at least when manufactured in high volumes.

3.    Submission and evaluation of proposals

Call opens: 1 September 2022

NEW Closing date: 24 September 2023.

Proposals can be submitted using the following online form:  Click here

Submissions will be evaluated in a maximum of 15 business days. Those considered to possibly solve any of the challenges listed in section 2 of this document will be contacted in order to explore possible forms of collaboration.

4.  Participants profile and requirements

We are looking for entrepreneurs, researchers, start-ups, SMEs, civil society and other organizations with the following characteristics:

a. Must be willing to be constitute a legal entity if both parts agree to establish a collaboration for the development of technology.

b. Must be willing to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Rotoplas if both parts agree to explore possible forms of collaboration.

c. Must be willing to sign an agreement with Rotoplas if both parts agree to establish a collaboration for the development of technology.

d. The leadership team of the entity must not be directly related to evaluators of this call or to Rotoplas employees.

e. Submissions may come from any country in the world.

Participating entities must designate a main contact person for the follow-up.

5.  Submission registration

Proposals can be submitted using the following online form:  Click here.

The following information will be requested: 

1. Your given name(s).
2. Your family name(s).
3. Telephone number – please include your country and city/local code (optional).
4. Main e-mail.
5. Alternative e-mail.
6. Name of your organization (optional).
7. Which challenge are you targeting (1, 2, 3, 4)? It may be more than one.
8. Detailed description of the proposed technology(ies).
9. How does your technology/solution tackle the challenge(s) that you chose?
10. What are the benefits of using your technology? Benefits may be environmental, financial, physical properties, processes, manufacture, etc.
11. What is the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your solution and what are the reasons for you to choose that TRL?
12. URL link(s) to additional information you can share with us. It may be images, videos, documents, etc. (optional)
13. What kind of collaboration would you like to have with Rotoplas for the development or implementation of your technology?
14. Acceptance of the Terms for Participation.
15. Acceptance of the terms of our Privacy Policy.

6.   Participant obligations 

Applicants must participate with their own solutions or with permission (verified with legal documentation) of those who own the intellectual property; always respecting and giving credit to the owners. 

The information provided by applicants must always be truthful.

People who are directly related to evaluators of this call or with Rotoplas employees cannot participate.

Participants must always behave in an inclusive and non-discriminatory manner (sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, socioeconomic level, etc.).

Rotoplas reserves the right to eliminate from the process any participant who does not comply with the obligations described in this section; in which case it will notify the participant in writing to the contact email that they have registered.

 

7.   Confidenciality and intelectual property

The information, ideas, initiatives, products, services or projects that are submitted to this call for proposals will be recognized at all times as property of their creators.

All information shared by either party at any time during the evaluation process must be treated as confidential.

Therefore, the two parties acknowledge and accept that all the information and/or documentation that is provided verbally or in writing or by any other means, before or after the selection process, is and will be the exclusive property of the person who provides it and may not be disclosed, published, reproduced and/or transmitted by any means to third parties. 

Grupo Rotoplas acknowledges and accepts that it has no right, title or interest in any confidential content that the Participant sends, publishes, transmits or displays through this Call for Proposals, including any Intellectual Property right. 

The applicant may not use any brand, design, logo, trade name and/or any industrial or intellectual property right of Grupo Rotoplas or “Innwai”, except with prior written authorization. 

8.   Personal information

The treatment of Personal Information will adhere to the content of the Privacy Notice of Grupo Rotoplas S. A. B. de C. V.  https://rotoplas.com.mx/aviso-de-privacidad/therefore, at the time of providing Personal Data, the Company states expressly the veracity and correct legitimacy of them, with which, in turn, you expressly accept that they are treated in accordance with said Privacy Notice. 

9.  Acceptance of the terms 

By registering through the form available on the innwai website, applicants will be accepting the Terms of Participation of this call.

10.   Modifications and cancellation 

Innwai, Water Innovation Hub and Rotoplas have the right to modify these Terms or cancel the Call at any time. In such case, the modifications or cancellations will be published on innwai’s website and participants will be notified by email. If, after notification of the modification of these Terms of Participation, a Participant does not expressly cancel his registration, it will be understood that she/he accepts the modified version of the Terms. Equally, after notification of the modification of these Terms of Participation, participants can modify the information sent or cancel their participation by sending an email to the innwai team (innwai@rotoplas.com).

11.   Responsability 

Participants will exempt Rotoplas from any responsibility over any claim that is based on non-compliance with these Terms of Participation.

12.   Legislation

Any controversy that may arise from the registration to, or participation in, this Call for Proposals will be expressly and irrevocably subject to the legislation, courts and authorities of Mexico City; with the Participant expressly renouncing any other jurisdiction that may correspond to them by reason of their present or future address, or for any other reason.