Cambridge-based Xampla secures £5.5m funding to advance plastic elimination

Xampla’s natural and biodegradable Morro materials can replace plastics across multiple high-volume commercial applications. Credit: Xampla

A Cambridge-based cleantech company has secured £5.5m in funding to help drive the development of its biodegradable, plant-based plastic alternative.

Xampla, a Cambridge University spin-off, is aiming to replace plastic with its Morro materials, drop-in, high-performance replacements for the world’s most polluting plastics which, it says, break down quickly and fully without releasing any harmful pollutants into the environment.

Morros is the result of 15 years of research conducted at the University of Cambridge and the latest funding round, which included CIECH Ventures and previous backers Amadeus Capital Partners, Horizon Ventures, Cambridge Angels, Cambridge Enterprise and Martlet Capital, “will support the expansion of our Morro material into new territories and new applications and enable us to make a big impact,” said Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla.

“This investment is a testament to the shared commitment of our backers, who can see that Xampla products are the gateway to a new era in materials sustainability,” she added.

“We are determined to lead the way towards a future where natural materials thrive, and traditional plastics become a thing of the past.”

Szymon Smyk, CEO of CIECH Ventures, added: “Xampla’s innovative approach and impact on the industry align deeply with the values of CIECH Ventures.

“Cleantech solutions capable of addressing real-world problems, such as plastic pollution, and promoting sustainable development are of particular interest to us.”

Xampla says its Morro materials can be used for a variety of applications, ranging from microplastics within homecare products to edible packaging for the food and beverage industry.

The company said it hoped its Morro Coating brand could replace plastic-based coatings in takeaway packaging, sachets and cups, in the future.

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