LIST and SRC to create innovative natural cosmetic ingredient

PRESS RELEASE

The two new partners are pleased to announce their first innovation project with the launch of BIOMICO.

BIOMICO project aims to offer an innovative, safe and efficient Bio-based delivery system for use in natural cosmetic products as an alternative to classical and existing vectorizations such as liposomes. Applying the “sustainability by design” approach, this bio-based technology will not be only green in its composition but also in its manufacturing process by applying the green chemistry principles. If successful, the project will deliver a sustainable cosmetic ingredient of natural origin with outstanding skin protection and skin enhancing properties.

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and Société de Recherche Cosmétique (SRC) expect to generate a novel patent portfolio and contribute to the next generation of natural cosmetic ingredients by NUXE Group. This promising collaborative research project is enabled via the co-funding “BRIDGES” granted by Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) in December 2020. The partnership contract between LIST and SRC was officially signed on the 21 October 2021 in Luxembourg with both parties represented and eager to start working together.

Following the announcement of the partnership, the Director of the Materials Research and Technology Department Damien Lenoble said “At the heart of our strategy, we specifically work on research and development of bio-sourced functional materials, enabling carbon footprint reduction of end-products. We are very proud that an international group such as NUXE, a leader in the use of natural resources in high standards cosmetics, is relying on LIST to support them in their innovation strategy”.

The majority of research activities will be performed in the Grand Duchy, allowing both partnering teams of researchers to work closely and collaboratively on the project.

In a highly competitive cosmetic and skincare market, the BIOMICO project aims to provide a disruptive advantage to SRC and NUXE Group, helping support their development in Luxembourg and their international expansion. This project is also a constructive demonstration of the attractiveness of the Luxembourgish ecosystem in research and innovation.

The SRC Manager and General Manager of the NUXE Group says: “The NUXE Group has been engaged for 30 years in research for natural cosmetic ingredients. The BIOMICO project is a new step in our research for effective active ingredients with ever more naturalness. We are delighted to seal this partnership with LIST and to pool our complementary expertise."

Dedicated to Research and Innovation, SRC is the Luxembourgish subsidiary of NUXE Group, the world-renowned cosmetics company with headquarters in Paris. SRC is an agile team of chemists and scientists dedicated to the identification and development of consumer-relevant technological solutions. By responding to the future challenges of the cosmetic sector, their objective is to accelerate the international growth of NUXE Group and its brands.

This new collaboration is not only LIST’s first venture into the cosmetics world, it is also a first for SRC in Luxembourg, making the partnership a totally Luxembourgish affair.

More than 200 associates are working at the Material Research and Technology Department (MRT) of LIST and manages an extensive pipeline of research and innovation projects (around 125) in the field of nanotechnologies, nanomaterials, polymers and composite materials, scientific instrumentation and intelligent synthesis processing. Pioneering the set of technology building blocks stemming from its forefront research and development work, MRT aims at nurturing its research outcomes towards innovative products and concrete applications that matter for its partners. Thus, contributing to the growth of a virtuous economical society.

Listen to the short presentations made at the press conference on 21 October: 

Speakers in order you hear them:

1. Damien Lenoble, Director of MRT
2. Muriel KOCH, owner of SRC & General director of NUXE Group
3. Thomas Kallstenius, Chief Executive Officer at LIST
4. Richard Nakath, Programme Manager, FNR