About

Problem: •Approximately 30 % of all traditional fossil-based lubricants are released into the environment during use, spills, and disposal. •Traditional lubricants, mostly mineral-based, are partially or non-biodegradable with high toxicity compared to biobased options produced from plant oils. Therefore, new and used lubricants can cause significant damage to the environment, especially to water sources. •Lack of monitoring services along with ineffective waste oil collection and recycling, build higher quantities of waste oils. Opportunity: •In the transition towards a green economy by 2030 * (according to EU new Green Deal and 55+ objectives), it is urgent to invest in replacing all carbon by-products and chemicals / lubricants with the appropriate services and products. •Develop a reliable environmentally friendly alternative to conventional mineral based lubricants. •Offer professional monitoring /regeneration services aiming at increasing lubricant life cycle thus creating less waste. A realistic approach in measuring the growth potential for bio-based lubricants in the Domestic market, is to set a goal of 4% market share in 5-years time which gives a figure of over 2,0 mil. Liters (€ 6 mil. Sales revenue).Simultaneously, exports to selected markets may prove to be the multiplier which can increase sales figures in geometric progression.

Solution & Product

Develop a cost-effective alternative to traditional mineral based lubricants with highly biodegradable lubricants (factor 100), with good mechanical and physical properties at a competitive price which also meet EU imposed standards and criteria (eg Green Public Procurement) More specifically our intention is to develop an innovative biobased Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant line, produced from Industrial grade (non-edible) olive oil and Waste Cooking Oil (WCO). Simultaneously we’ll develop a “Total Fluid Management” program which will meet the EU reduce/reuse/recycle criteria, through a 3-stage on-site process (Lab analysis/ filtering/ regeneration) in order to prolong Lubricant Life (by doubling or even tripling it) specifically in industrial and marine applications where their priority is the decrease of environmental and social footprint, followed by the decrease of need for new feedstocks and disposed quantities by more than 50%.

Innovation & Scalability

From a consumer and worker safety perspective, plant-based lubricants are more attractive than their petroleum counterparts because of their relative low toxicity, high flash point and low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.We’ve already started to promote a limited line of bio-lubricants through the network of a traditional petroleum company, in our effort to test this market and gradually substitute mineral based lubricants with our newly launched line of bio-lubricants.Bio-lubes from various vegetable oils are being produced for some years now, however the use of blends of non-edible industrial olive-oil, and WCOs as feedstock have not yet been incorporated in any biobased lubricant, while our partnership with NTUA/ELKE aims at developing this innovative and unique formula for bio-based lubricants.Starting from the Domestic market in our effort to meet growing demand for bio-lubricants, we selected a Lubricant blender with a high production capacity (~10 mil Liters) and 70year presence in the market, professional infrastructure, equipment and qualified human resources which will support us in executing the Pilot Scale Phase I and move to production scale Phase II and further on.

Traction & achievements

Following are the important milestones of ZFI PC : 1. Idea born in summer 2019, by (2) young siblings, undergraduate students at the American College of Greece 2. ZFI PC was founded in December 2021. 3. First Business Plan was drafted in January 2022, with the assistance of the ZFI Advisory board 4. Corporate Identity and Marketing Plan finalized in May 2022 5. NTUA/ELKE(National Technical University of Athens/Fuels and Lubricants Technology Laboratory/School of Chemical Engineering) agreement signed in November 2022 6. Trial sales to a National network of a petroleum company used as a test market, started early 2022 (€ 210.198,50 annual sales) in order to measure the potential for growth of bio-lubricants among users of traditional mineral lubricants 7. Advanced discussions with a Lubricant blender which we plan to be our blender and 3rd party logistics partner.

Team & Why Us

Smaragda Pasioura, the 26 year old Co-Founder (BSc in Biomedical Sciences) together with her brother Evangelos, a 23 year old undergraduate student (Finance) both at the American College of Greece, having a passion for a more sustainable way of life and knowledgeable about the automotive business, founded ZFI P.C startup company, which focuses on bio-lubricants and fluid management services . •NTUA/ELKE was selected as the most suitable partner for the R&D/ Lab Scale phase I, as well as for the Industrial scale and TFM program as well. •They seek to partner with European academic institutions and specialized laboratories, in order to acquire needed certifications (e.g Ecolabel). •An advisory board of experienced professionals from the corporate world is supporting the whole project, while the ZFI team truly aspire that this deed is a chance towards alleviating the repercussions of climate change, while introducing innovative products/services to the Greek and to the Global market as well.

Funding Needs

We’re in advanced discussions with a lubricant blender in Greece, to start industrial scale production under a 3rd party agreement. This company has the necessary infrastructure, laboratory and production equipment in order to cooperate with, in Phase I/introductory stage and further on. Up-to-date investment is € 150k. For Phase II/industrial production, additional funding of € 800k. will be needed to acquire specialized equipment for the production and testing of bio-lubricants. In addition to the above, the TFM (Total Fluid Management) program will be the result of the close cooperation of ZFI team with the NTUA/ELKE. The initial plan is to equip a “model van”, with the necessary apparatus and analytical instruments to provide professional on-site filtering and regeneration services to industrial and marine customers. The next step is to equip a number of similar vans, in order to offer this innovative on-site service, to multiple industrial and marine accounts. The total investment for such a model van will range between € 120-150k. Bio-lubricants distribution scheme will be implemented on a B2B basis, offering direct technical and logistics support to clientele. Bio-lubricants as an innovative member in the family of Biodegradable products produced in Greece, offer an opportunity for exports to international markets which have already raised consumer awareness and have widespread use of such products.