Xampla, a UK-based materials innovation company spun out of the University of Cambridge, has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round to accelerate the rollout of its plant-based alternatives to single-use plastics.

The company aims to replace more than 10 billion plastic items over the next five years, addressing a global waste crisis in which roughly 400 million tonnes of plastic are generated annually, with less than 10% ever recycled.

Xampla’s reputation relies on its flagship product, Morro materials, a natural polymer derived from regenerative plant proteins. Plastic-free, biodegradable, and home-compostable, Morro is exempt from the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD). Designed to replace plastic linings in products such as takeaway boxes, coffee cups, and sachets, the coating also preserves the recyclability of cardboard packaging.

Commercial partnerships with 2M Group of Companies, Huhtamaki, Transcend Packaging, and food delivery platforms, including Just Eat Takeaway and Bunzl Catering Supplies have already brought Morro materials into practical use.

The Series A round, which will secure Xampla’s expansion into Asia and development in the UK and Europe, was led by Emerald Technology Ventures, a fund specializing in sustainable packaging solutions.BGF, one of the largest growth capital investors in the UK and Ireland, and Munich-based Matterwave Ventures also joined the initiative.

Neil Cameron of Emerald Technology Ventures highlighted the global potential of Morro materials, noting their strong positioning in the barrier coatings market, which is projected to exceed $30 billion by 2032.

Source :

https://www.esgtoday.com/xampla-raises-14-million-to-replace-single-use-plastics-with-plant-based-materials/

https://cmotech.uk/story/xampla-secures-14-million-to-scale-plant-based-plastic-alternatives