American banking giant Morgan Stanley has announced the creation of its global Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures group, which will provide funding to 29 startups worldwide, including Ukrainian company S.Lab. The startup has developed a biodegradable packaging technology made from plant-based components.
Morgan Stanley will invest $250,000 in each startup (or £250,000 in the EMEA region).
“We are proud to support this global group of change-makers offering scalable solutions to pressing business and societal challenges,” said Jessica Alsford, Morgan Stanley’s Director of Sustainability.
The 2025 cohort of startups receiving funding will focus on technology and AI-driven solutions in sectors such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and accounting. Many of these ventures are also tackling sustainability challenges, including waste reduction, extreme weather, and emissions.
After completing a five-month accelerator program, the startups will showcase their projects at a global exhibition and demo day in February 2026. For S.Lab, the funding will be used to scale production and develop modular, containerized manufacturing lines.
Each line will have the capacity to produce up to 15,000 packaging units per month. S.Lab plans to shift to a new business model in which clients will receive the technology to produce eco-friendly packaging rather than finished products.
Currently, the startup aims to expand its manufacturing operations in Spain.