Ignition Packaging accepted as 1st start up in Malachowsky Hall's Spark Start-up Incubator
December 2023
Ignition Packaging is proud to announce our acceptance as the first official start-up in the Spark Start-Up Incubator at the University of Florida’s state-of-the-art Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology. This milestone marks a major step forward in our journey to develop sustainable, biodegradable packaging materials that can stand up to the demands of the modern world. Being part of Spark provides access to cutting-edge resources, mentorship, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem—all of which will accelerate our R&D and commercialization efforts. As the first company selected into the program, we’re not only honored but energized to pave the way for future ventures aiming to solve complex global challenges through science, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
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Ignition Packaging Expands R&D Operations to San Felasco Tech City
August 2024
Ignition Packaging is proud to announce our expansion into San Felasco Tech City, a cutting-edge innovation hub located in Alachua, Florida. This move marks a major milestone in our growth, providing dedicated lab space and facilities to accelerate the development of our biodegradable, high-performance packaging materials.
Nestled among some of the region’s most promising deep-tech and sustainability-focused ventures, San Felasco offers the infrastructure and collaborative environment needed to take our R&D to the next level. With access to industrial-scale equipment and proximity to leading innovators, our new home positions us to scale faster, test more rigorously, and continue building packaging solutions that are not only compostable—but commercially viable
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Ignition Packaging Selected as University of Florida 'Innovation Fellow'
November 2024
Ignition Packaging is excited to share that we have been selected as a University of Florida Innovation Fellow, a prestigious recognition awarded through a collaborative initiative between the UF Engineering Innovation Institute and the Warrington College of Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center. This fellowship supports high-potential student-led ventures that are tackling real-world problems through interdisciplinary innovation. As part of the program, Ignition Packaging was awarded $3,000 in non-dilutive funding, which we are actively applying toward ongoing research and development to refine our biodegradable packaging materials. Being selected as an Innovation Fellow affirms the strength of our mission and highlights the value of combining engineering rigor with entrepreneurial strategy to build solutions that are both scalable and sustainable.
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Ignition Packaging Named Rising Star Start-up of the Year
February 2025
Ignition Packaging is honored to be named Rising Star Start-Up of the Year by Cox Business and StartGNV. This award recognizes our mission to revolutionize the packaging industry by creating high-performance, biodegradable materials that compete with plastic on both cost and durability. As part of this recognition, we were awarded a $5,000 grand prize, which is being reinvested directly into advancing our R&D and scaling our impact. With research and development based out of San Felasco Tech City, we've been relentlessly focused on building a solution that bridges sustainability, scalability, and real-world functionality. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our team, the vision behind our product, and the support of the community that believes in our potential. As we push forward, we remain committed to creating packaging that doesn’t just work, but works for the planet.
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Ignition Packaging Featured in Green Success Stories
March 2025
Ignition Packaging has been featured in Green Success Stories, a platform that highlights innovative ventures driving environmental progress. The article, titled “The Future of Sustainable Packaging Is Here”, dives into our journey, our mission to eliminate plastic waste, and how our cellulose-based biodegradable materials are redefining what packaging can be. This feature is a testament to the growing recognition of sustainable innovation and our commitment to creating solutions that are as functional and cost-effective as they are planet-friendly. We’re honored to be included alongside other pioneers in sustainability and look forward to continuing the work of igniting change—one package at a time.
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UF Office of Sustainability: Champions for Change
April 2025
We’re proud to share that Ignition Packaging founder Abdurrahman Bejjaj has been recognized as a 2025 Champion for Change by the University of Florida Office of Sustainability. This annual award honors individuals and organizations making meaningful contributions to sustainability, climate action, and environmental innovation within the UF community and beyond. Selected for his leadership in developing biodegradable packaging solutions that reduce plastic waste and promote circular design, Abdurrahman’s recognition highlights the growing impact of Ignition Packaging’s mission. This award underscores our commitment to driving scalable change through sustainable materials science and entrepreneurship, and we’re honored to be acknowledged by one of the nation’s leading sustainability institutions.
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Ignition Packaging win 1st Place at the Big Idea Competition at the University of Florida
April 2025
Ignition Packaging is proud to announce that we’ve taken first place in the University of Florida’s prestigious Big Idea Competition, earning a $25,000 grand prize to accelerate our mission of replacing single-use plastics with biodegradable, high-performance alternatives. Hosted by the UF Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, this competition brings together the most promising student-led ventures from across the university to pitch innovative business concepts to a panel of expert judges. Our win reflects the strength of our business model, the scalability of our technology, and the urgency of solving the global plastic pollution crisis. The funding will be used to ramp up research, expand prototype development, and deepen customer engagement as we continue building packaging that meets industry standards—without harming the planet.
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Ignition Packaging featured in ABC 20 News
July 2025
Ignition Packaging was recently featured on ABC 20 News as part of their Tech Tuesday segment, highlighting our innovative approach to revolutionizing the packaging industry. The segment showcased how our cellulose-based, fully biodegradable materials offer a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics, while still delivering the durability and versatility that businesses need. Viewers learned about our mission to combat plastic pollution by creating products that decompose without leaving harm to our planet. This feature not only recognized our progress in R&D, but also amplified our vision to transform packaging on a global scale - one product at a time.
Ignition Packaging with Global Leaders at Climate Week NYC 2025
September 2025
During Climate Week NYC 2025, Ignition Packaging had the privilege of engaging with global leaders, including His Excellency Ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tone of the Kingdom of Tonga, Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curaçao; and Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment of the Republic of Palau. These conversations took place across events such as The Future of Living Systems by Kinetik Ventures, in conjunction with Blue Planet Alliance, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable, ocean-safe solutions. Who better to learn from about sustainability than Pacific Island nations, where sustainability isn’t a premium practice but a fundamental way of life? Their circular, community-driven practices provide invaluable insights for innovating biodegradable packaging. By connecting with international decision-makers and thought leaders, Ignition Packaging continues to advance its mission of developing high-performance materials that protect marine ecosystems and promote a regenerative, global approach to sustainability.
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​Ignition Packaging was also exclusively featured in the Young Leaders Photo Exhibit, with a display highlighting the company’s recent prototype development. This recognition celebrated the team’s innovation and hands-on progress in creating high-performance, compostable packaging solutions.
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Ignition Packaging Win at Ocean Exchange Competition
October 2025
Ignition Packaging is proud to be named the Collegiate Winner at Ocean Exchange, earning a $10,000 award in a national competition featuring top-ranked startups from across the United States. Ocean Exchange highlights solutions that protect ocean health, in our case, by eliminating waste at its source. This recognition underscores the critical role ocean-safe, biodegradable materials play in preventing plastic and EPS pollution before it reaches marine ecosystems. Competing against leading ventures nationwide, Ignition Packaging stood out for its high-performance, compostable packaging designed to match plastic and EPS on cost, strength, and manufacturability. The prize will be reinvested into R&D to accelerate formulations that protect waterways and oceans at scale. This recognition reflects the strength of our science, the scalability of our approach, and the growing demand for materials that work for both industry and the planet.
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Ignition Packaging at 9th Annual Marine Research Hub Summit at FLIBS 2025
October 2025
Abdurrahman Bejjaj, CEO of Ignition Packaging, spoke at the 9th Annual Marine Research Hub of South Florida Summit, held during the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS). He delivered a presentation highlighting Ignition Packaging’s mission to replace plastic and EPS with high-performance, biodegradable materials and participated in a panel discussion on startups, sustainability, and ocean health. The summit brought together leaders from the marine industry, innovation sectors, and environmental research communities, providing a platform to showcase solutions that reduce marine pollution and support ocean conservation. Abdurrahman’s session highlighted the intersection of entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship, demonstrating how sustainable packaging can deliver real-world performance while protecting waterways and oceans for future generations.
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Ignition Packaging win 1st Place at Inaugural PitchGNV competition
November 2025
Ignition Packaging is proud to be the inaugural winner of the PitchGNV Competition, a new showcase highlighting emerging ventures driving impact across Florida’s innovation ecosystem. This recognition underscores our mission to develop high-performance, biodegradable packaging solutions that can replace plastic and EPS while delivering real-world functionality. We are grateful to StartGNV for launching this platform and to the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business for sponsoring the grand prize award. Standing alongside such a talented group of founders and innovations, this milestone represents another step in scaling solutions that move the needle and meaningfully ignite change in sustainability and the packaging industry.
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Ignition Packaging win at USF Daveler Business Pitch Competition
November 2025
Ignition Packaging was honored with a Scholar Award at the University of South Florida’s Daveler Business Pitch Competition. The company pitched its sustainable biofoam material and was selected as one of three Daveler Scholars out of twelve finalists from across the state, receiving a $5,000 award. This recognition highlights the team’s hands-on work advancing compostable biofoam into a high-performance, scalable packaging solution while demonstrating the integration of sustainable polymer research and business operations. The award underscores Ignition Packaging’s innovation and the growing impact of student-led ventures driving sustainable solutions in the packaging industry.