SienabioACTIVE, a spin-off of the Department of Excellence in Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy at the University of Siena, is a benefit company and a female-led startup with a majority female leadership. It offers innovative, eco-sustainable bio-based pro-functional products derived from agro-food, forestry, and marine waste.
Thanks to its internationally recognized scientific expertise, SienabioACTIVE transforms research into enterprise. The company enhances circular economy approaches based on scientific research, promoting the sustainability of the agro-food system by repurposing unused waste into high-value secondary and tertiary products.
These include standardized bioactive compounds for biocosmetics, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, new pharmaceuticals, bio-phytostimulants for eco-sustainable organic agriculture, and innovative biomaterials.
Founded in July 2020, SienabioACTIVE has already launched its first product line, developed from the scientific results of the VACASTO+ OPEN RICCIO PSR Toscana M16.2 project: BioCastanea. This line of eco-sustainable dermofunctional biocosmeceuticals (including sustainable packaging) is 100% Made in Tuscany and is produced using a green extract with powerful antioxidant properties, derived from an iconic waste material—the chestnut burr.
The first BioCastanea products are already on the market (in physical stores and via e-commerce) and include:
- Patented antimicrobial soaps
- Face skincare line, scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production, protect against UV damage, aid recovery from oxidative stress, and provide anti-pollution effects—all demonstrated on human cells without animal testing
- 100% vegan solid shampoos and conditioners
SienabioACTIVE is committed to zero-waste circularity—even the residual chestnut burr biomass is transformed into eco-sustainable packaging paper.
Sustainability and circularity define not just the product itself but the entire SienabioACTIVE system, which aligns with the 17 UN SDGs, embracing sustainable development as its vision and the transformation of waste into valuable resources as its mission.
The BioCastanea line is a concrete response to the needs of the IGP chestnut sector, addressing key challenges such as:
Income diversification for chestnut growers
- Positive environmental impact by reducing CO₂ emissions—the main driver of climate change, which threatens the sector—through the transformation of chestnut burr waste into high-value-added products
- Waste reduction, limiting accumulation and combustion for disposal, and turning a vicious cycle into a virtuous one, both economically and environmentally.
SienabioACTIVE, as a university spin-off, is an innovative R&D startup. Scientific research within a national center of excellence ensures the fusion of innovation (know-how generation), quality, and sustainability through a multidisciplinary, multi-product approach. By developing and applying green, bio-based solutions, SienabioACTIVE establishes a truly circular model—a unique case in the sustainable life sciences sector, both nationally and internationally.
Know-how
Within the concept of a circular bioeconomy, we have decided to transform waste into a resource. Thanks to a project funded by European funds from the Tuscany Region, aimed at combating climate change, our university research has harnessed the antioxidant richness of an iconic waste material: the chestnut burr.
We have optimized a green method to extract antioxidant substances from the chestnut burr. Our extract and all derived products are biocertified. Additionally, our haircare line is 100% vegan.
Biocastanea products are cosmeceuticals rather than simple cosmetics, as their pro-functional bioactivity on human cells (without animal testing) has been scientifically proven through high-level university research.
The PGI Monte Amiata chestnut burr extract has been shown, through rigorous experimental university research, to possess powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
