Many common products, such as shampoo, toothpaste, and floor cleaner, contain synthetic polymers. These polymers are used to thicken liquids, bind mixtures, and control texture, but a significant portion of them is produced from petrochemical products and enters water systems as microplastics.
Regulators are beginning to restrict the use of such substances, forcing developers to seek alternatives that possess similar properties and price accessibility. Although biological alternatives exist, historically they have been either too expensive or too complex to integrate into existing industrial formulations at scale.
BacAlt was founded in Bengaluru in 2023 with the goal of making these substitutes more affordable. Its founders are Shruti Kutmutia, CEO, and Pranav Nair, both biotechnologists experienced in microbiology and biopolymer fermentation. The company operates in Electronics City and sells its products to other businesses, not directly to end consumers.
Agricultural residue is used as raw material. BacAlt processes post-harvest and agro-industrial fruit waste, subjecting it to fermentation to obtain two biopolymers: bacterial cellulose, which is produced by microbes rather than extracted from plants, and poly-gamma-glutamic acid, which serves as a thickener and a moisture-retaining agent. Using waste as feedstock allows for low production costs and gives agricultural residues a useful application instead of incineration.
The cost argument is based on fermentation methods. Industrial fermentation is typically carried out in sterilized reactors, which requires energy expenditure for sterilization, takes time, and carries the risk of failure due to contamination. BacAlt claims that its process occurs under non-sterile conditions, combined with high-throughput methods and the use of waste as feedstock, which provides the claimed cost advantage.
The product, named ReRaw, is a blend of these two polymers. The company describes this product as replacing up to five synthetic additives with one biodegradable ingredient and states that the process achieves a multiple reduction in costs compared to existing biopolymers at a large scale. Both of these metrics are company claims.
ReRaw's applications cover personal hygiene, oral care, and household chemicals, and also include further markets such as agrochemicals, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and wound care. Kutmutia emphasized that recyclable packaging alone is insufficient, and that the microplastic problem lies precisely in the contents inside the bottle. Her goal is to help India transition from importing specialized ingredients to exporting them.
BacAlt raised 18 crore rupees, equivalent to about 2 million US dollars, in a round announced in September 2025. The round was led by Avaana Capital with participation from Lubrizol InnoVentures, the venture arm of the American specialty chemical company Lubrizol. It is important to note that the second investor is more significant than the capital itself. The corporate investor from the industry BacAlt plans to enter provides knowledge regarding distribution and formulations that a financial investor lacks, indicating that the technology was viewed by people who earn money from selling ingredients.
The funds raised were directed towards research and development, establishing pilot production facilities, hiring personnel, and preparing for entry into new geographical markets. At the time of fundraising, the company stated that its first commercial product would launch in June 2026 at a preliminary pilot site in Bengaluru, with agrochemical and pharmaceutical markets following in 2027. However, this deadline has passed, and no launch has been announced. In June 2026, the company was presented among Indian companies at the Bharat Innovates event in Nice, France, where it demonstrated ReRaw and the partnerships it aims to establish. Currently, no data regarding clients, orders, or revenue has been publicly disclosed.
Hospital administrators expressed doubts about comparing the cost of medical services with hotel prices. However, according to the recommendation of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare, the cost of a room in a private hospital may soon become comparable to the price of a room in a nearby three-star hotel.
This mechanism is proposed as part of efforts to curb rising medical bills. The committee suggested linking the rental fee in private hospitals in major urban centers to the average tariff set by nearby three-star hotels.
In addition to regulating room prices, the committee, chaired by MP Ram Gopal Yadav, also proposed standardizing pricing packages for standard surgical and medical procedures.
The Motorola Edge 70 with 256 GB of storage is available with a 50% discount compared to its original price of R$ 4,499 at Magazine Luiza. By applying the coupon MOTOROLA100, the smartphone can be purchased for R$ 2,249 using Pix.
This device, which stands out for its elegant design, is considered the mid-range model among the five new devices launched in the line in 2026. Despite its classification as mid-range, it features a versatile and high-resolution camera system.
The cameras include wide lenses with enhanced HDR, ultrawide/macro, and front cameras, all with a resolution of 50 MP and 4K recording capability. Additionally, there is a triple light sensor to optimize light exposure control, which is advantageous for night photos.
The Edge 70's display is a 6.7-inch POLED screen that supports a 120 Hz refresh rate and reaches a maximum brightness of 4,500 nits. This configuration ensures a smooth experience when consuming content, such as social media, and maintains good visibility even under strong lighting.
Built from aluminum, the Edge 70 has a thickness of only 5.99 mm, competing with ultra-thin models from competitors like the S25 Edge and the iPhone Air. It also has IP68, IP69, and MIL-STD-810H certifications, ensuring high resistance against dust, water, and extreme environmental conditions.
In terms of processing, the device is equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, which includes an octa-core CPU with speeds up to 2.8 GHz and 8 GB of physical RAM, expandable up to 24 GB via RAM Boost. Although it does not offer the same level of performance as the Edge 70 Pro or the Motorola Signature, it provides well-balanced performance in various areas.
The battery, made of silicon-carbon, has a capacity of 4,800 mAh and supports 68W wired fast charging, as well as 15W wireless charging, providing greater convenience to the user. The device also integrates NFC connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.4.
Motorola promises update support up to Android 20 for the Motorola Edge 70 (256 GB), which can be bought for R$ 2,249 via Pix, using the coupon MOTOROLA100 at Magazine Luiza.
Audi has begun delivering the new A5 Avant and A6 Avant e-tron models through its dealership network in Brazil. These two vehicles can be acquired for R$ 474,990 and R$ 699,990, respectively. The manufacturer reported that the A5 Avant sold out all available stock during the pre-sale period.
These launches are part of the brand's strategy to revitalize the wagon segment in the national territory. The A5 Avant is available only in the S line 2.0 TFSI quattro version, while the A6 Avant e-tron, also in the S Line configuration, represents the first fully electric Avant body vehicle manufactured by Audi.
Marcos Quaresma, Product Manager for Audi Brazil, emphasized that the company identifies considerable potential in the Avant segment.
The A5 Avant is derived from the third generation of the A5, introduced in Brazil in May of the previous year. It uses the Combustion Premium Platform (PPC) and features the 2.0 four-cylinder turbo engine from the EA888 family, in the evo5 variant. This engine generates 272 horsepower and 40.8 kgfm of torque, coupled with the seven-speed S tronic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive with Ultra technology. The car can reach 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, with a maximum speed electronically limited to 250 km/h.
Standard features include seven airbags, three-zone air conditioning system, panoramic sunroof with transparency adjustment, Head-Up Display, 360-degree view camera, adaptive cruise control, and Full LED Matrix headlights. With dimensions of 4.829 meters in length and 2.892 meters in wheelbase, it offers a trunk capacity of 448 liters, or 1,396 liters if the rear seats are folded down.
Built on the Premium Electric Platform (PPE), the A6 Avant e-tron features rear-wheel drive and is equipped with an electric motor that delivers 367 hp and 57.6 kgfm. These specifications allow it to reach 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, with a maximum speed electronically limited to 210 km/h. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 100 kWh and operates on an 800-volt architecture.
The autonomy certified by Inmetro is 440 km. Regarding charging, it takes 21 minutes to go from 10% to 80% using DC chargers of up to 270 kW. In AC mode, the model supports up to 11 kW. Among its differentials are the Matrix LED headlights with eight light signatures, connected taillights, 21-inch Audi Sport wheels, and virtual side mirrors. With a drag coefficient of 0.24, the A6 Avant e-tron is slightly behind the A6 Sportback e-tron, which registers 0.21 and is considered the most aerodynamic Audi ever produced. Its dimensions are 4.928 meters in length and 2.946 meters in wheelbase.
Both models incorporate the cabin inspired by the 'Digital Stage' concept, presenting three screens: an 11.9-inch instrument cluster, a 14.5-inch multimedia center, and a 10.9-inch passenger display. The A5 Avant still features the Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system, composed of 16 speakers and 685 watts of power.
Furthermore, they feature the new version of Audi Connect in Brazil, which integrates over 30 functionalities through the myAudi application. These functions include digital key, emergency calls, vehicle tracking, remote commands, and navigation with real-time traffic information. For electric vehicles, the application assists in locating charging points and planning charging stops. The onboard artificial intelligence assistant uses ChatGPT technology, and Audi guarantees that the license comes with the car from the factory at no monthly cost.
