Designing a Better Future with Seaweed: Georgios Gkotsis on Replacing Plastics at Scale

“There’s a huge amount of innovation in sustainable materials—but very few are truly built around the problem.”In this episode of Why Design, I’m joined by Georgios Gkotsis, CTO at Kelpi, a Bristol-based startup creating high-performance seaweed-based coatings to replace fossil plastics in long shelf life packaging.Georgios has built a career at the intersection of material science, sustainability and engineering strategy. From early R&D at Procter & Gamble and Unilever to cutting-edge biomaterials at Xampla and now Kelpi, he’s seen firsthand what it takes to take an idea from lab bench to supermarket shelf.We talk about Kelpi’s mission-first approach, the commercial and technical complexity of replacing plastic, and Georgios’ personal journey from hands-on scientist to startup CTO. If you’re working in deep tech, materials innovation, packaging, or care about solving the plastic problem in a commercially viable way—this episode is a must-listen.Key Takeaways:🟢 Mission Before Tech – Why Kelpi started with a bold question, not a breakthrough material.🌱 The Power of Seaweed – A renewable, fast-growing feedstock with real promise for circular packaging.📦 Replacing Plastic Isn't Plug-and-Play – A deep dive into shelf life, barrier properties, and realistic client expectations.🧪 From MVP to Market – Why minimum viable products don’t need to be perfect, but they do need validation.⚙️ Transition to Leadership – How Georgios shifted from doing the work to setting strategy and building a world-class team.🔁 The Startup Balancing Act – Navigating limited runway, client partnerships, and scaling without owning a factory.🧠 Using AI in R&D – Why machine learning could accelerate material science and cut years off innovation cycles.🚀 What's Next for Kelpi – Scaling to tonnes, launching with brands, and expanding the product development team.📌 Memorable Quotes:💬 “You can’t just swap plastic for a new material and expect it to behave the same. It’s a journey—not a transaction.”💬 “If you don’t design for the whole lifecycle—materials, performance, shelf life, disposal—you’re not solving the problem.”💬 “As CTO, your job shifts from doing things to building the team that can do them better than you ever could.”💬 “AI won’t replace chemists. But it will speed up the work they do—and that’s how we close the sustainability gap faster.”Resources & Links:🌍 Learn more about Kelpi🔗 Connect with Georgios Gkotsis on LinkedIn📩 Contact the Kelpi team – [email protected]👥 Join the Why Design community!Sign up for events, online huddles, and workshops: teamkodu.com/events🔗 Follow Chris Whyte on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte🎧 Listen to Why Design on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Amazon Music.PS – Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!