KPMG Private Enterprise announces sustainable technology as the winner of the 2023 Global Tech Innovator competition

Sustainable green technology advances at scale as Sweden’s PlasticFri takes top prize as the 2023 KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator winner.

On November 15th, KPMG Private Enterprise announced that PlasticFri, whose sustainable green technology converts agricultural waste into eco-friendly products that can replace plastics, has been named the KPMG Private Enterprise winner at the final event held in Lisbon, Portugal.

It is a huge privilege and testament to our amazing team to win this year’s KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator competition from 2000 companies around the globe”, says PlasticFri Founder & Chairman Max Mohammadi. “The competition in the global finals was impressive, and we’re thrilled to be recognized amidst such an amazing group of brilliant innovations and entrepreneurs. We sincerely thank KPMG Private Enterprise and our KPMG Private Enterprise Sweden team for their support at every step in the process. We’re ready and eager to take the next step forward for our company.”

Conor Moore, Partner and Global Head of KPMG Private Enterprise said, “This year’s global competition grew to 1,300 applicants across 23 countries and jurisdictions during the local finals. We’re so excited about the success of this competition. It keeps growing with more and more applications each year with brilliant, innovative solutions that are tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today … and likely tomorrow. I’m proud of the active role we’re playing in helping to introduce a new wave of technology pioneers like this year’s winners PlasticFri, who are turning brilliant ideas into a business reality.”

Sofia Lindskog, Emerging Giants Leader at KPMG in Sweden said, “Here is a classic example of a great success story of a company that will only continue to thrive. The notion of a sustainable plastic alternative derived from agricultural waste is now a reality – a phenomenal green solution to a global problem! With their drive and ambition, I believe that PlasticFri may go on to not only achieve many global accolades, but more importantly help society reduce its carbon footprint and combat climate change for generations with this technology breakthrough! Congratulations to PlasticFri for bringing the global crown home to Sweden and reaffirming Sweden’s reputation as a globally respected sustainability leader!”

The panel of international judges presiding over the competition consisted of industry experts, including a previous competition winner, all applauded this year’s finalists who showcased technological advances ranging from advanced generative AI and machine learning, to biopharma, quantum computing, fintech, cybersecurity and environmental sustainability.”

Conor Moore added, “Our congratulations to PlasticFri! We’re delighted to have this opportunity to introduce you on the world stage, and we’re eager to watch your growth over the coming years. Again, a winner has emerged with technology that provides a tangible solution to help address one of society’s biggest environmental challenges. Congratulations as well to all the country winners that competed in this year’s global final.”

The 2023 global finalists included:

Sapia.ai – Australia

An automated chat interview platform to disrupt traditional recruitment biases.

Pix Force – Brazil

Brazil’s #1 AI startup that empowers computers to interpret and analyze data images more quickly and accurately than human analyses.

Phabuilder Biotechnology. – China

Cutting-edge biotechnology that uses microbes to produce value-added products such as PHA.

Bia Energy – Colombia

A proprietary algorithm that analyzes large amounts of customers’ energy data, enabling energy retailers to provide customers with tailored energy-saving solutions.

Healthycrop.World – Denmark

Developer of crops that are naturally resistant to fungal infections by using plants’ own defense mechanisms.

SemiQon – Finland

Builder of silicon-based commercially competitive quantum computing processors that are scalable, resilient and cost effective.

Instagrid – Germany

A builder of advanced portable power supplies that replace highly polluting petrol and diesel generators to reduce emissions and costs and improve worker health and safety.

Motito – Ghana

Alternative financing for essential assets by enabling instalment payments on purchases from favorite suppliers.

Lynkit – India

Proprietary products across different aspects of supply chain management and logistics tech, using deep tech combined with machine learning, AI, augmented reality, industrial automation and vision tech to digitize, automate and optimize supply chain processes.

Nory – Ireland

An intelligent co-pilot for hospitality businesses by centralizing all core restaurant operations in a single operating system and guide executive and frontline teams in controlling costs, increasing productivity and profitability.

Pale Blue – Japan

A spacecraft propulsion startup using a water-based technology to develop a space ecosystem that make in-space mobility affordable and safe for humans and the surrounding environment.

Leadsales – Mexico

A next-generation CRM to service multiple customers on WhatsApp and social media by creating automated follow-ups to ensure companies don’t miss potential sales and customer conversations.

inPhocal – Netherlands

Proprietary optical technology that makes laser processes more efficient by marking packaging and products in production lines at a higher speed and with more flexibility on the shape of objects being marked.

Peddlr – Philippines

A digital accounting and bookkeeping POS application to replace pen and paper methods of sales recording, credit management and inventory stock management.

Rauva – Portugal

A super-app that allows users to open business accounts, use physical and virtual cards, handle payments, track certified payments by the Tax Authority and provide assistance in creating Portuguese companies.

Netzero – Saudi Arabia

Helps companies offset carbon emissions by streamlining the deployment of nature-based solutions and afforestation in a cost effective and transparent manner.

The Match Exchange – Southern Africa

Redefined agricultural commodity trading through a multidimensional, data-driven platform that optimizes the entire supply chain to serve farmers, transporters and processors.

PlasticFri — Sweden

Breakthrough technology that turns agricultural waste into eco-friendly products that replace plastics.

Lypid – Taiwan

Innovative fat technology that makes liquid vegetable oil behave like animal fat and create an alternative protein that looks, tastes and cooks like animal protein.

Inovus Medical – United Kingdom

Designer and manufacturer of surgical training technologies to ensure equitable training and care for all.

Reveald – United States

Provides businesses with the ability to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity through a patented AI-driven technology that provides an advanced, ongoing risk reduction solution.

DigiMe — Vietnam

Leverages advanced Ai and mass dataset processing to provide a comprehensive geolocation data solution that empowers businesses in making informed decisions based on accurate and reliable location intelligence.

About the competition

The inaugural KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator Competition was introduced in 2021. In the first year of the global competition, 17 countries and jurisdictions of the world participated in the competition. In 2022, the competition grew to include 23 countries and jurisdictions from both mature and emerging markets, and it has grown further in 2023 to more than 1,300 applications across 23 countries.

Companies from the startup to growth stages were invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to panels of local and global industry experts for the opportunity to be recognized as a leading technology innovator in their country and ultimately on the global stage.