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Management meets Giovanna Laudisio

Bath MBA alumna, Giovanna Laudisio, created a plant-based plastic alternative to build a sustainable future, bead by bead.
Giovanna wearing a lab coat and goggles holding a test tube full of white liquid
Giovanna graduated from the Bath MBA in 2014

On the Bath MBA, I learnt the different skills required to manage a business, from operations and change management to finance and marketing. I particularly enjoyed the entrepreneurship module, which made me realise I wanted to try something different from a corporate career.

After graduating, I spent some time working at a venture-building company whose mission was to build more startups. My time there solidified my love for the start-up world and inspired me to build my own.

In 2018, I co-founded Naturbeads with two professors of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath - to reduce and eventually prevent microplastic pollution.

'We ingest five grams of plastic every week - the same amount found in a credit card'

I’ve always had a passion for sustainability. Naturbeads’ mission is to replace microplastics using biodegradable plant-based cellulose. Microplastics are intentionally added to many products we use every day, such as cosmetics, paint and so much more.

As a result, it is estimated that we ingest or inhale about five grams of plastic every week, which is the same amount found in a credit card.

Plastic has been found in human brains and even in placenta, meaning future generations are in contact with plastic in their mother’s womb. There is not much knowledge on the effects of microplastics, although there are new studies that say people who have plastic in their arteries are more prone to heart attacks.

'As CEO, I say my title stands for Chief Everything Officer'

Because microplastics are so small, we’re unable to filter them out of the oceans or soil. The best way to reduce microplastic pollution is to prevent it from entering the environment in the first place.

I am ambitious to achieve something that nobody has done before. After years of applying for funding and optimising our product, we are currently signing commercial agreements with companies interested in using Naturbeads in their products. We expect an official launch in early 2026.

Our long-term goal is to replace microplastics in all applications, from cosmetics to life sciences.

Innovation is at the heart of what we do. Life in a startup is never boring - as CEO, I say my title stands for Chief Everything Officer!

Naturbeads is at an exciting stage and starting to make a real difference. We are really looking forward to succeeding, given the challenges brought on by microplastic pollution.