Alum combats global plastic pollution with patented packaging technology

Jonathan Jakubowski ‘07 doesn’t call this “work.”

He does not punch a time clock or rush out the door at 5 p.m. An entrepreneur to his core, Jakubowski lets his drive, his passion for his vision, his commitment to making a difference in the world, and a foundation rooted in family and his faith frame every day.

The Bowling Green State University alumnus is the CEO of SmartSolve, a Bowling Green-based company that specializes in creating bio-based, water-soluble packaging technologies that are designed to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability. That is an ambitious, big-picture objective, but one that Jakubowski faces with a tenacity rooted in that aforementioned set of fundamentals and his experience at Bowling Green.

Jakubowski came to Bowling Green as a preferred walk-on for the Falcons football team with hopes of earning a full-ride scholarship. Few successfully chase that dream, but Jakubowski earned his place on the team and was then awarded a scholarship for his exemplary work ethic and performance.

He displayed the discipline and strict time management required to pursue a degree in international business and marketing and went on to win the President’s Award for Outstanding Academic and Athletic Achievement.  

“Being a student-athlete, earning playing time, and then a full scholarship at Bowling Green, it created an incredible foundation,” the 2007 graduate said. “It was one of the greatest formational experiences of my life. I can’t overemphasize how critical that is in the development of one’s soul as you move into the private sector following graduation. That experience shaped me into the person I have become today.”

Jakubowski, whose company has been awarded two patents for its cutting-edge technologies addressing worldwide plastic pollution, said that in the classroom, on the practice field and between the lines on a college football Saturday, he was learning about himself while receiving the education he leans on today.

“I had some great professors, coaches and teammates, and as a Division I athlete, you go through an experience that requires a strong support system,” he said. “You learn a lot about your character, and how important these relationships are for success.”

Jakubowski said that selfless exceptionalism, the virtue of empowering others to achieve their best, is a major part of the energy that drives development in his company.

To date, SmartSolve has developed the world’s first plastic-free, dispersible packaging material that is also flexible and printable, along with many other water-soluble products that target preserving the planet, saving resources and reducing the plastic packaging ending up in landfills, waterways and oceans.

“My coaches, teammates and professors were able to cast a very clear and compelling vision to start looking up, and have a clearly defined purpose,” he said. “You are not just working for a paycheck – you are working for something more significant.”

Jakubowski completed an internship while at BGSU that allowed him to connect with a startup involved in providing energy-efficient cookstoves to developing countries. He said his awareness of the worldwide plastic pollution problem then became acute while he was researching the technology behind water-soluble paper used in restaurants.

“I saw the emergence of plastic pollution as a threat in all of our lives, so I decided to take the market research and turn it into a business plan.”

By design, BGSU graduates and faculty members are part of the team he has assembled at SmartSolve, one of the University’s gold-tier partners.

“The environment at Bowling Green lends itself to you being able to connect with others from diverse backgrounds and skill sets,” said Jakubowski.

He met his wife, the former Melissa Peters, while they were students on campus and has based SmartSolve in Bowling Green, where they are now raising their four children.

“Bowling Green is a place that might be overlooked by some, but this drives a conviction to demonstrate that an Ivy League education isn’t the prerequisite for making a difference. I appreciate that drive and that humble grit to go out and do something worthwhile. Bowling Green is a great source of talent for us.”

Outside of his support for the University, Jakubowski started a soccer-based ministry in Guatemala in 2008 called Champions in Action that works with underprivileged youth. The lives of more than 4,500 at-risk children have been impacted through this Gospel-centered mentorship. His company also supports an area charity that raises funds for research and provides assistance to local families dealing with pediatric cancer.

“We realize that we can’t be all things to all people, but we are on a divine assignment to make a difference in this world,” he said. “We are one company, and we are humble, and we recognize that we are not the exclusive solution to plastic pollution. Yet, our role is a significant one. If we accomplish our vision – of making packaging no longer trash – our oceans, waterways and even our health will be better off with less plastic. Ultimately, the greatest form of conservation is driven through innovation.”

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