Founded by U of T alumni Nuha Siddiqui and Kritika Tyagi, erthos is taking on the global plastic pollution crisis, offering a groundbreaking solution with its proprietary biobased resin that serves as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics.
The pair, both now 29, met in U of T’s social impact entrepreneurship club Enactus while Siddiqui was studying environmental economics and commerce accounting at the Rotman School of Management and Tyagi plant biology and English language and literature in the Faculty of Arts & Science. What started as a school research project delving into the science of plastics and exploring natural alternatives has evolved into a fast-growing company developing high-performance alternatives to traditional plastics using biobased ingredients. The team has designed solutions for everyday plastics for global giants like AB InBev, and more recently announced a partnership with Colgate Palmolive to expand ZYA™—their AI-powered materials innovation platform designed to accelerate the adoption of sustainable packaging.
“We are living in a world where recycling rates are declining, and ‘forever chemicals’ are being widely detected in every part of our ecosystem,” erthos CEO Siddiqui says. “There are still massive gaps to bridge, and we are eager to collaborate with companies unafraid to disrupt the status quo and recognize the power of biomaterials.”
erthos has raised over $12 million in financing from investors such as Horizon Ventures, Thrive Venture Fund at BDC Capital and Telus Pollinator Fund for Good.
“The University of Toronto does a great job of putting you in an environment where you can meet extraordinary people who have very similar passions, beliefs and visions,” says Siddiqui. “It played a key part in our early days, and it gave me the purpose that I have today.”
