Microcapsules are defined as particles with sizes in the range of 50 nm to 2 mm consisting of a polymer matrix and an encapsulated or bound active component. Polymer microspheres are described as empty microcapsules. Interest in the fundamental and applicative research of these materials is immense. The choice of the manufacturing process depends on the nature of the starting materials. Frequently used methods are suspension-emulsion polymerization from monomeric materials or suspension-emulsion crosslinking from polymeric starting materials.Traditionally, microspheres were produced from synthetic polymers such as polyacrylates. Also, agarose and cellulose-based supports in chromatographic packing materials were applied. Although there were attempts in grafting of polysaccharides with synthetic polymers such as in starch-polyacrylate microparticles, recently microspheres were prepared solely from biopolymers such as chitosan and starch.Starch is used in various non-food products such as bioplastics. Starch is available in large quantities, renewable and cheap. At ATO-DLO a range of starch-based microspheres were prepared by several new routes based on emulsion crosslinking or polymerization. The size of the particles range from 100 nm to several mm. The particle size could be controlled by the amount of energy during emulsification and emulsion composition. A polydispersity can be obtained of less than 30%. Furthermore, they have unique colloidal and emulsifying properties.Starch microparticles were prepared with a broad range of structural and functional differences. This opened the door to new applications for starch although many of these opportunities remain to be explored. Areas of interest are packaging, textiles, controlled release, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and flocculation.