Checkerspot and DIC Corporation scale sustainable microalgae skincare toward a “post-petroleum future”

12 Apr 2022 --- With rising global temperatures turning up the heat on demand for climate-friendly beauty ingredients, chemical and material provider DIC Corporation has signed its second Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with materials innovation company Checkerspot, Inc. to scale such solutions for the personal care industry.

DIC Corporation and Checkerspot believe that microalgae can offer high-performance ingredients for the personal care sector, which is valued at US$261 billion in annual revenue.

The JDA targets environmentally sustainable skincare and personal care applications mainly derived from microalgae via Checkerspot’s innovative WING Platform. 

The WING Platform brings together innovators and companies to develop materials and products to move toward “a healthier, post-petroleum future and make everyday life better.”

Zooming in on microalgae solutions
There is synergy in between Checkerspot’s and DIC Corporation’s expertise in microalgae technology in personal care solutions. 

The scientists at Checkerspot research extensively on microalgae and develop new materials that aim to hydrate and nourish the skin. They also delve into how the microalgae protect themselves in extreme environmental conditions. 

“We greatly appreciate the ability to rapidly prototype and engage customers directly through Checkerspot’s knowledge of personal care products,” affirms Kiyofumi Takano, managing executive at DIC Corporation.“From an evolutionary perspective, algae evolved to produce oil as a matter of survival in the Earth’s most extreme environments,” share the companies.

WING Platform brings experts together
The WING Platform consists of four pillars: “from molecular foundry to materials science, fabrication, and consumer engagement.”

“We’ve long known of the potential benefits of microalgae ingredients for skincare. We look forward to using the WING Platform to create new ingredient systems to further unlock their performance potential,” adds Charles Dimmler, co-founder and CEO at Checkerspot. 

DIC Corporation previously applied its research and knowledge of Spirulina and SACRAN, extracted from Suizenji-nori blue-green algae. Now the company is expanding its expertise into the personal care industry. 

Checkerspot and DIC Corporation initially signed a JDA in 2018, forming the grounds for developing a new “high-performance polyol,” which is currently underway for commercial applications. 

Greening up skincare
In other climate-focused solutions, Mibelle Biochemistry recently introduced FenuKale Nu to combat environmental stress experienced by the skin. 

Also, Beiersdorf and WWF Germany previously partnered on climate sustainability and supply chain solutions for the personal care industry. 

Furthermore, Dow tapped into holistic, upcycled beauty solutions with new ECOllaboration Collection which includes upcycled rice husk and corn ingredients. 

Edited by Venya Patel