A tough nut to crack | Ecoatex tackles farm waste head-on, turning used shells into tree-free cellulose
The Georgia-based startup is relocating to Knoxville through the Spark accelerator to scale its process for turning nut shells into cellulose-based ingredients for packaging, coatings, textiles, non-wovens, paper, synthetic leather and other advanced material applications.
Raha Saremi has spent years watching a problem pile up near her home in Athens, Georgia: tons of pecan and peanut shells left over after harvesting and shelling. She has since turned that agricultural waste into a business. Now, she’s moving it to Knoxville to scale the company even further in the Spark cohort.
The idea grew out of Saremi’s academic work. She earned her doctorate in late 2017 at the University of Georgia. Her research focused on sustainable materials. Over the next several years as a researcher and lab manager, she began applying that expertise to the waste she saw in the farming communities around her.
After filing Ecoatex’s first patent application and securing initial funding, Saremi decided it was time to move from academia to industry. She left her university job in 2024 and has worked full time on the company ever since.
Harnessing natural building blocks for the next generation of materials
Most of the cellulose used in manufacturing today comes from trees, which are cut down and processed into wood pulp. Ecoatex takes a different, more sustainable route.
“Instead of cutting trees to make wood pulp, we get cellulose and other useful polymers from agricultural waste like shells that farmers and shellers otherwise have to dispose of,” Saremi explained.
This switch matters as cellulose is in a long list of everyday products, including tissues, wipes, diapers, masks, medical gowns and clothing.
For customers, the key selling point is that Ecoatex’s materials are designed to be compatible with existing manufacturing infrastructure. This helps minimize the process changes required for adoption. As an ingredient supplier, this is a huge differentiator.
“You can use it on existing manufacturing infrastructure,” she said. “As a manufacturer, you don’t need to make any changes. You just change your feedstock.”
Scaling in Knoxville
Saremi attended the Southeast Venture Showcase earlier this spring, where she met people from the greater Knoxville innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. From there, it was an easy decision to get more involved with the area.
Why? Access to Oak Ridge National Laboratory‘s (ORNL) manufacturing space, the community within the UT Research Park and the region’s strong interest in bio-based and clean technologies.
Through Spark, Saremi is aiming for pilot production and prepping for their first pre-seed round. To date, Ecoatex has raised $1.5 million in non-dilutive funding.
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