Ponera wins SEIF Award for Responsible Innovation

Ponera has been named as a winner at the SEIF Awards Tech for Impact 2022. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Figino in the canton of Ticino, with a product development facility located at the EPFL Innovation Park Le Garage, the start-up has been presented with the Award For Responsible Innovation. This award is supported by the major Zurich-based bank UBS.

Ponera has developed a modular pallet system to replace conventional wooden pallets, which usually have a short lifespan and are then disposed of. The ISO-certified Ponera system consists of robust, biodegradable and 100 percent recyclable materials that form part of a circular economy. The easy-to-assemble modules can be linked together to create pallets of any size, while they can additionally be equipped with sensors for seamless transportation tracking. As the jury writes in explaining their rationale, they were convinced by the modular system’s “potential to positively impact businesses logistics and finances as well as the environment”.

One of the first partner companies to provide a platform to test the sustainable packaging solution is the technology group Bühler from Uzwil in the canton of St.Gallen. CEO Matthew Reali explains in the Ponera Group Brand Report of the Geneva Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA): “Our product represents a potentially significant step towards zero emissions for Bühler”.

The awards, which are handed out on an annual basis, evaluate international start-ups that focus on generating positive environmental and social impacts as part of a five-stage selection process.