Growthstock Pulse Editorial
The increase in extreme weather due to global warming and worldwide surge in fertilizer prices are causing major disruptions to global agriculture. In Europe, drought emergencies have been declared, with Venice’s canals unusually drying up. Meanwhile, fertilizer prices have reached record highs due to supply shocks.
A startup based in Japan and India has developed technology that simultaneously addresses agriculture’s fundamental challenges of water and nutrition. EF Polymer has created a 100% organic super absorbent polymer made from orange and banana peels.
This technology reduces agricultural water usage by 40%, decreases fertilizer use by 20%, while increasing yields by 10-15%. Its completely biodegradable nature makes it a next-generation material with minimal environmental impact.
A Vision Born in India’s Countryside
Photo Credit: EF Polymer
EF Polymer’s founder, Narayan Gurjar, comes from a small village of just 300 people in the desert region of Rajasthan, northwestern India. This area faces severe drought conditions year-round, with water shortages being a daily concern.
A science-loving child, Gurjar was encouraged by his father to “do research that solves local problems.” This research began in high school and resulted in a technology prototype during his first year of university. Though not initially completely organic, he later refined it at Japan’s Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) to develop a fully organic polymer.
Gurjar’s journey wasn’t smooth. Despite being considered a local prodigy, he failed to gain admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). This disappointment fueled his dedication to research. At agricultural university, he persisted until gaining professorial support to develop his prototype.
Research that began as a solution for his village’s problems has grown into a business with global potential. According to industry reports, the global biodegradable polymer market is projected to grow from approximately $4 billion in 2022 to about $13 billion by 2030.
Organic Innovation
EF Polymer’s breakthrough lies in manufacturing fully biodegradable super absorbent polymers from food waste-derived pectin. Conventional polymers use petroleum-derived chemicals that contribute to microplastic problems.
Their technology retains both water and fertilizer. Water-soluble fertilizers are absorbed into the polymer and gradually released, increasing efficiency and preventing groundwater contamination.
While major chemical manufacturers are researching biodegradable polymers, EF Polymer’s advantage extends beyond technology to include their unique supply chain. They currently use pectin from orange peels as their main raw material, with research expanding to other materials like rice straw, wheat straw, and paper pulp waste.
Their patent strategy combines published patents for basic technology developed in India with strategic trade secrets for improvements completed in Japan.
Targeting Developed Markets First
EF Polymer is taking an interesting approach to its business strategy. While the technology was originally developed to solve drought problems in developing countries, when considering how to establish it as a sustainable business, they chose to first target developed markets while simultaneously developing the Indian market.
This is because they determined it would be difficult for a startup alone to establish a viable business in emerging markets. Especially in emerging countries where many farmers struggle with drought issues, farmers often cannot afford to buy polymers, making it essential to implement initiatives that reduce the burden on farmers, such as combining the technology with carbon credits.
That’s why the company prioritized European and US markets due to their agricultural prominence and environmental awareness. Europe in particular has regulations against using chemical polymers in soil, creating significant anticipated demand for EF Polymer’s organic materials.
They have differentiated strategies even within Western markets. The US market has many large-scale commodity crops produced in vast areas at relatively lower prices. In contrast, Europe has more vegetables and relatively high-unit-price crops grown for local consumption. Therefore, they are prioritizing the European market first.
Their sales strategy also varies by market. In India, they approach Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), which are equivalent to local agricultural cooperatives. In Europe, they are advancing collaborations with trading companies and food manufacturers. For the US market, where Japan imports many agricultural products, they plan to implement a strategy of having EF Polymer used by contract farms owned by trading companies and food manufacturers involved in this import trade.
What’s interesting is that they are actively pursuing applications beyond agriculture. “Cycool,” a cooling agent co-developed with Iwatani Material, is one example – unlike conventional petroleum-derived polymer cooling agents, it can be returned to soil after use and utilized as fertilizer.
MUJI (Ryohin Keikaku) switched from conventional cooling agents to Cycool, which prompted them to end their cooling agent collection service. This circular model, named “Farm to Sustainable Living,” has been positively evaluated by Masaaki Kanai, Chairman of Ryohin Keikaku which oversees MUJI, and expansion to other products is also being considered.
EF Polymer is also advancing diversification of applications, such as developing fully biodegradable thickeners for the cosmetics industry.
Global Opportunities
Photo Credit: EF Polymer
EF Polymer’s organization operates with a global perspective while bridging different cultural backgrounds of Japan and India. Their main bases are in Okinawa, Japan and India, but they have also established a U.S. corporation centered around California. With members also in France, they are truly an international company in every sense.
Agricultural operations are primarily conducted in India, while chemical and biological research and development are carried out in Okinawa. Business development has become more international, with activities “increasingly shifting overseas, centered around US and Europe.”
This international environment is particularly attractive to people seeking global careers. The R&D department seeks personnel with doctoral degrees (PhDs), while the business development department requires overseas experience and multilingual capabilities. Their policy of not discriminating based on nationality also lowers barriers to entry for people with diverse backgrounds.
According to Hiroshi Yoshikawa, who was originally an OIST staff member, was captivated by EF Polymer when he met them through OIST’s accelerator program, and has been serving as CFO since October 2022, what EF Polymer needs most now is, with “cultural fit as a prerequisite,” “people who have accomplished something,” he emphasizes.
We’re looking for people who have experience taking a company public, or who have successfully led a product to breakthrough success, or who have completed new product deployments overseas—these are the kind of talents we need. Since our team members are relatively young, we’ve expanded our business through trial and error with passion and drive. As the organization grows, we’re looking for people who can ‘paint the big picture together’ by mobilizing all their past experiences to achieve greater growth with higher certainty.
This “youth,” “potential,” and “international character” will likely provide great growth opportunities for people seeking challenging careers. For those who want to build an international career while contributing to solving global challenges, EF Polymer might be an ideal environment.
Strategic Partnerships
Photo credit: EF Polymer
EF Polymer raised 550 million yen ($4 million USD at the exchange rate at the time) in their Series A round in May 2023, and recently secured the first closing of their Series B round including investments from food companies and corporate venture capital firms in the US.
The company continues seeking investments from potential business partners, recently announcing a capital and business alliance with Suzuyo Shoji, a centuries-old Japanese trading house, that includes promotional activities, joint development for fertilizer applications, and distribution of related agricultural materials.
Their business model balances sustainability with practicality. As Yoshikawa notes, “it won’t spread unless it becomes fundamentally necessary, rather than just promoting it with an SDGs badge.” The company is targeting an IPO around fiscal year 2029-2030.
In recognition of these domestic and international achievements and future prospects, EF Polymer was selected as one of the companies in the fifth cohort of the J-STARTUP program operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in March 2025. The program supports startups capable of competing globally, and this selection reflects confidence in the company’s technological capabilities and international growth potential.
In 2025, EF Polymer was selected for the Deep Tech Startup Support Program by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), Japan’s national research and development agency promoting innovation in energy and industrial technologies. Through this selection, the company secured several million USD in R&D funding. This government recognition of their efforts to commercialize high-risk innovative technology has strengthened the foundation for their business expansion.
Food Security and Environmental Solutions
With food production needing to increase 60% by 2050 while drought conditions worsen due to climate change, EF Polymer’s technology addresses critical global challenges.
While currently focusing on developed markets, they envision eventually returning to their roots by solving problems in developing countries like India, possibly through mechanisms like carbon credits to fund deployment in emerging economies.
Their potential extends beyond agriculture to replacing petroleum-derived products in daily necessities and cosmetics. Their circular model—where products from farmland are consumed and then returned to farmland—represents a sustainable future.
What began as one man’s solution to his village’s drought has expanded into addressing global food and environmental challenges, combining technological innovation, business realism, and significant social impact.
