From pharma to entrepreneurship: Startup creates new materials from nutshells

Maren Bohl never imagined she would become an entrepreneur.

She had always loved mathematics, chemistry, and biology, and was therefore quite convinced that she would end up in the life science industry.

Growing up in Cologne, Germany, Maren chose to study pharmaceutical sciences – first at the University of Munich and later at the University of Copenhagen, where she completed her master’s degree.

But today, pharmaceuticals are not what Maren Bohl works with when she steps into the lab.

Instead, she has embraced entrepreneurship and, together with Carla Günnewig, founded the company Nuterials.

"We need new, sustainable alternatives. I hope we can contribute to pushing that development forward."

The idea behind Nuterials is to create new sustainable materials made from walnut shells, which are therefore 100 percent biodegradable.

So, when Maren puts on her lab coat these days, it is to further develop this innovative product, which in the long run can be used for everything from furniture to packaging.

So far, Nuterials has created a first version called “Nuterials Jecto”. It resembles small wooden pellets that can be melted and molded into a wide range of products – for example, a biodegradable urn, which has already been launched on the market.

“We want to help change perceptions of biomaterials. Recycling is important, but it is not enough. We need new, sustainable alternatives. I hope we can contribute to pushing that development forward,” says Maren Bohl.

A student job turned everything upside down

But how do you go from dreaming of a life science career to becoming an entrepreneur in a completely different field?

It all started when the German student came to Denmark to complete the final part of her studies.

To make ends meet, she got a job at a small startup producing cosmetics. There, she experienced firsthand how quickly a product can be developed and brought to market – in contrast to the long development timelines in the life science industry.

That student job became a turning point, Maren explains:

“I could see how motivating it is when ideas turn into products in less than a year. It was completely different from pharma.”

An energy boost

When Maren Bohl finished her studies, she wanted to test herself.

Together with a former colleague, she joined a startup incubator program, where she met many others who were interested in entrepreneurship.

Here, she was introduced to a whole new world of pitch training, business development, and networking. During the program, she and her colleague – who would later become her co-founder – developed the foundation for the idea that Nuterials is built on today.

“I had never imagined that I could start a company myself. But that weekend showed me how much energy you get when you work on something you have built from scratch,” she says.

Drawing on her pharma experience

Nuterials is now two years old and has attracted investors. The company currently employs three full-time staff and several interns. With a base in the innovation hub Symbion in Copenhagen, the team has access to both laboratory facilities and a strong network of other entrepreneurs.

Although business development, strategy, and finances have taken up much of her time in recent years, Maren still draws on her pharmaceutical background.

“I learned a lot about quality control and standard procedures, and I’ve definitely brought that into our startup,” she says, adding:

“My studies really helped me approach product development in a structured way, where you only test or change one thing at a time. If you change everything at once, you’ll never know what actually made something better or worse.”

Never saw entrepreneurship as an option

The future of Maren’s entrepreneurial journey is not set in stone, and she can imagine one day returning to the life science industry.

For now, however, she finds the startup life so fun and exciting that she has no desire to look back.

The current goal is that within five years, Nuterials will have its own production facility in Denmark and a team of 20–25 employees.

When she studied in Germany, entrepreneurship was never on her radar – but she is grateful for the opportunity she has found in Denmark.

“In Germany, it was never something people talked about – that you could actually start your own company. I hope my story can inspire others with a life science background to see entrepreneurship as a real possibility.”