College of Tub spinout Naturbeads has secured a £7.8m Sequence A funding spherical because it seems to handle international microplastic air pollution.
As an increasing number of analysis reveals how pervasive microplastics have turn out to be within the setting, Tub-based Naturbeads is scaling its cellulose microsphere expertise designed to interchange using plastics in on a regular basis merchandise.
In response to the startup, two million tonnes of microplastics are added yearly to merchandise equivalent to cosmetics, detergents, paints, adhesives and others.
The European Union has beforehand known as for using microplastics in these merchandise to be phased out by 2027, with the intention to then additional cut back using plastics in merchandise like fertilisers.
“Microplastics have been discovered on the prime of Arctic mountains and within the depths of the Mariana Trench, with a latest examine forecasting that microplastic air pollution may greater than double over the following decade,” mentioned Naturbeads CEO and co-founder Dr Giovanna Laudisio.
“Our differentiator from different firms who’re attempting to resolve challenges round plastic packaging is that we’re one in all few that’s solely targeted on the plastic discovered inside each day merchandise, and producing an eco-friendly, scalable various.”
Now backed by the extra funding, Naturbeads is planning to assemble its first manufacturing plant in Puglia, Italy.
The Sequence A funding was led by Eos Advisory.
“Giovanna and her workforce are tackling one of the crucial pressing environmental challenges of our time, and we stay up for supporting Naturbeads by means of its subsequent, thrilling section of commercialisation,” mentioned Eos accomplice Andrew Durkie.
Extra funding got here from Progress Tech Switch, CDP Enterprise Capital and Paragon Capital Administration.
“The management workforce has daring ambitions in developing with an industrial-grade answer to sort out microplastic air pollution in a wide range of completely different functions, with a platform expertise that’s delivering excessive technical efficiency with a totally round strategy,” mentioned Alberto Calvo, managing director of progress tech switch.
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