Global Startup Summit 2025 India
From the Alps to Tamil Nadu: FreyZein Showcases the Future of Performance Textiles in India
Last week, FreyZein had the honor of representing Austria’s next-generation textile innovation at StartUPTN Global Startup Summit 2025 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu — India’s vibrant hub of textile manufacturing and entrepreneurship. Together with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, we showcased our breakthrough material TerraTech™, the world’s first all-cellulose 2-to-3-layer fabric offering Pure Performance, Distinct Aesthetics, and True Circularity.
Founder and CEO of FreyZein Jan Anders Karlsson at the Global Startup Summit in Tamil Nadu.
Textiles Rooted in Culture — and Now in Deep Tech
India’s relationship with textiles runs deep. From hand-woven cottons that shaped its history to today’s massive industrial ecosystem, textiles are part of the country’s cultural DNA. But what stood out most during the summit was India’s strategic pivot toward deep tech. High-level officials — including representatives of the Ministry of Textiles — made it clear: India aims not only to be the world’s textile workshop, but also a global innovation hub for sustainable and high-performance materials.
In the words of Thiru M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu: “We have set ourselves an ambitious target of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030.”
That ambition could not have been more visible at the event — from the government’s proactive support through StartUPTN (the state’s innovation and entrepreneurship initiative) to the sheer energy of hundreds of founders and makers who believe in sustainable growth through innovation.
Austria Meets India: Deep Tech, Deep Roots
FreyZein’s booth became a real conversation magnet. Entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and investors were eager to learn how our TerraTech™ membrane technology allows brands using cellulose-based fabrics to enter a new category of performance textiles — without petrochemicals.
We were proud to see the strong interest not just in our products, but in our philosophy: True innovation happens when science and nature work together.
Jan showing samples of TerraTech™ at FreyZein’s booth.
During the summit, we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ajay Singh, Senior Advisor to the Commercial Counsellor at the Austrian Embassy in New Delhi. His support and enthusiasm for our work were truly inspiring. Following our discussions, FreyZein has been invited to participate in Bharat Tex 2026 — India’s largest textile fair — where we will present our materials and innovation story to a global audience. We’re also exploring collaborations with the Ministry of Textiles and StartUPTN to evaluate opportunities for upscaling our technology and establishing partnerships for production in India.
Our journey to India was more than a business trip — it was a meeting of values. Both Austria and India share a strong belief in combining craftsmanship with innovation, sustainability with scalability, and science with beauty. We return home energized by the conversations, inspired by India’s entrepreneurial spirit, and deeply motivated to continue shaping the future of textiles — one membrane, one partnership, one shared vision at a time.