New Earth Ventures Launches to Accelerate the Future of Sustainable Packaging
May 5, 2026
In a recent episode of the Sustainable Packaging Podcast, host Cory Connors sat down with New Earth Ventures (NEV) Managing Partner Matt Saunders and Atlantic Packaging President Wes Carter to discuss the vision behind NEV and how it aims to help entrepreneurs, startups, and brands bring innovative solutions to market.
The conversation traces the roots of NEV back to Atlantic Packaging’s long-standing commitment to innovation. For decades, Atlantic has invested in packaging science, technology, and sustainability through initiatives such as the Packaging Solution Center, creating a foundation that naturally evolved into a dedicated venture platform.
Unlike traditional corporate venture capital programs, NEV combines investment capital with deep packaging expertise, commercial insights, and access to a broad customer network spanning food and beverage, e-commerce, medical device, and industrial markets. This approach is designed to help founders navigate the challenges of commercialization while accelerating the adoption of breakthrough technologies.
Saunders and Carter discuss the opportunities they see across the packaging value chain, including next-generation materials, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and supply chain technology. They also highlight how programs like Atlantic’s MUST Stretch Film Management System demonstrate the power of combining technology with packaging expertise to deliver meaningful business and sustainability outcomes.
The discussion also offers a look at NEV’s growing portfolio, including companies such as Specright, Sway, and Forest, each addressing a different challenge in the transition to a more circular economy.
The episode closes on an optimistic note. Saunders and Carter share a belief that solving the global waste crisis will require radical collaboration across brands, manufacturers, technology providers, investors, and entrepreneurs. New Earth Ventures was created to help accelerate that collaboration and support the innovators building the future of sustainable packaging.
