UK materials innovation company Xampla announced that it has raised US$14 million in a Series A investment round, with proceeds aimed at scaling its technology to replace billions of single-use plastic items with plant-based alternatives.
Because plastic does not biodegrade completely in the environment, but rather breaks down into smaller fragments and pieces, single-use plastic products can accumulate and pollute land and water sources, harm the environment and wildlife and threaten public health.
Xampla, a University of Cambridge spin-out, has developed Morro materials, a natural polymer alternative made from regenerative plant proteins, containing no PFAS or plastics. These materials are plastic-free, biodegradable, home compostable and exempt from the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD). The company said that Morro will help tackle global plastic waste, which reaches around 400 million tonnes annually, with less than 10% of plastic ever produced being recycled.
According to Xampla, the new capital will enable its materials to replace more than 10 billion single use plastic items over the next five years.
Xampla CEO Alexandra French said:
“This is a major vote of confidence for our revolutionary replacements for polluting plastics, and will see us expanding into Asia Pacific as well as growing in the UK and Europe. We have proven to investors and to brands that Morro materials are the real deal in making plastic a material of the past.”
Over the next five years, Morro materials are set to replace plastics such as the linings found in takeaway boxes, coffee cups, and sachets. Unlike conventional plastics, Morro Coating allows cardboard to remain recyclable while still offering grease, oxygen and moisture barrier protection.
The funding round was led by sustainable packaging-focused venture fund Emerald Technology Ventures.
Neil Cameron, lead in Emerald’s sustainable packaging investment fund, said:
“Working with Xampla is part of our mission to turbocharge a revolution in innovative packaging. This technology hits the sweet spot I search for: a big solution to a big problem that can reap big rewards. And with its current global traction, there is huge potential to scale even further. The global barrier coatings market alone is set to be worth over $30bn by 2032, and that is just the beginning.”
Emerald was joined in the Series A round by BGF, one of the largest growth capital investors in the UK and Ireland, and Munich-based Matterwave Ventures. Existing backers Amadeus Capital Partners and Horizons Ventures also participated.
The new funding is expected to expand Xampla’s partnerships and global reach as it scales production of Morro materials to tackle some of the world’s most polluting plastics.
Rowan Bird, Investor at BGF, said:
“Xampla’s technology stands out as a truly scalable and practical alternative to plastic. Its patented, entirely natural and PFAS-free material is not only strong in performance but also drop-in ready for existing manufacturing lines, making it an attractive option for brands looking to adopt more sustainable solutions.”
