Amadeus Capital is a global technology investor that invests in technology companies at all stages, from seed to venture buyout; they also buy stakes from other investors or founders, to ensure that companies and entrepreneurs have the runway they need to succeed. They invest in a broad variety of sectors including enterprise and infrastructure software, consumer and business services, medical technology and healthcare IT, and cleantech and resource efficiency. It has the imagination to see where new businesses can be created and the technical insight, operational experience and global network to help entrepreneurs make their vision a reality. The Company was founded in 1997 and since has backed more than 130 companies and raised over $1bn for investment.

Amadeus Capital Partners

University of Cambridge Enterprise, also known as Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds, consisting of the Challenge Fund and the Venture Fund, is a resource for members of the University of Cambridge and the Babraham Institute. Investments are priced and structured competitively with other sources of early stage seed capital in order to encourage co-investment, follow-on funding and commercialisation of University of Cambridge and Babraham Institute inventions.

University of Cambridge Enterprise

Avonmore Developments is the family office of Simon and Michael Blakey that focuses on investments into seed and early-stage businesses, primarily in the UK and Europe. Avonmore has been operating since 2000 and has invested in over 40 different businesses in over 80 funding rounds. Michael Blakey now runs Singapore-based seed fund Cocoon Capital (www.cocooncap.com) that invests in early stage businesses across SE Asia. Simon Blakey is a member of Cambridge Angels, Chairs the Investment Committee of Playfair Capital (www.playfaircapital.com) and is on the investment committee of the Angel CoFund (www.acfinvestors.com/angel-cofund/)  Avonmore's approach to deals is hands-on: mobilising other angel investors, working actively with entrepreneurs post-deal, and coordinating further funding rounds.

Avonmore Developments

Parkwalk is a London-based fund management firm.  Parkwalk invests in UK technology companies that have IP backing and freedom to operate, generally spun out of UK universities. Their funds seek to generate capital gains for their investors, enhanced by the attractive tax relief provided by EIS. Parkwalk entered this investment sector in 2009, anticipating a wave of tax-efficient incentives launched by the UK Government to stimulate innovative emerging technology companies and thereby help drive economic growth. Parkwalk utilises academic, technology transfer, venture capital and personal networks developed over many years to gain access to the highest calibre deal-flow.                                                                                                                 In 2017 Parkwalk joined forces with IP Group plc, a leading intellectual property commercialisation company that is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IPO. As at March 2019 the combined group has net assets of £1.2bn.

Parkwalk Advisors

Sky Ocean Ventures is a bold new creation that will support breakthrough thinking and invest in promising new ideas that will help turn off the plastics tap.They

Sky Ocean Ventures

Horizons Ventures focuses on investing in disruptive and technology-focused start-ups. The firm was founded in 1999 and is based in Hong Kong. Some of the latest exits are Skype, Siri, Facebook, Summly, and Waze.

Horizons Ventures

We are a part of the Qemetica – a modern chemical holding, one of the industry leaders in Central and Eastern Europe. Its main shareholder is Kulczyk Investments - a global investment group specializing in building value of companies representing various industries. We invest globally in early-stage ventures related to ChemTech, New Materials, Circular Economy, AgroTech, and CleanTech.

Qemetica Ventures (Formerly Ciech Ventures)

The Cambridge Angels are a group of high-net worth investors who have proven experience as successful entrepreneurs in internet, software, technology and bio-technology. Members invest in and mentor high quality start-up and early-stage companies in these sectors in the Cambridge (UK) area and throughout the UK. Typical funding requirements that the Cambridge Angels meet are in the range of £50,000 to £500,000 - although it is worth noting that several of their portfolio companies have received more than £1m in funding from their Members over several funding rounds. Their Members have been responsible for a large number of the “Cambridge Phenomenon” success stories over recent years. Therefore, in addition to providing funding for early-stage companies, the Cambridge Angels also offer start-ups the considerable benefit of a wide range of expertise, contacts and directly relevant experience in establishing and growing entrepreneurial businesses successfully.

Cambridge Angels group

Martlet Capital is an early-stage investor based in Cambridge, providing patient capital to deep technology and life science startups with high growth potential. They seek to support entrepreneurs with value beyond capital. They have experience of helping companies scale from first-round through to exit. Visit their website to take a look at how we work and their investment focus.

Martlet Capital

Xampla

Xampla is a cleantech company that creates plant protein material for commercial use. Its materials include microcapsules, beads, films, threads, and other structures made from plant protein with biodegradable, biocompatible, and no synthetic ingredients used for food, cosmetics, household products, animal feed, packaging, and medical applications.

<div>Xampla is a British sustainable plastic materials company. The company was founded as a spinoff from the University of Cambridge. Xampla has developed its patented technology after 15 years of research led by experts in the field. The company manufactures cutting-edge material developed from sustainable natural sources, which serves as a direct, high-performance substitute for plastic. These materials are versatile and can be tailored for food-related applications, using various food-grade plant proteins and other natural ingredients. The company claims that it has the world&rsquo;s first technology that protects fortified beverages by encasing vitamins and nutrients in an edible plant-protein layer, ensuring they remain intact during shipping in clear, recyclable bottles.</div>

Earth-friendly biotech solutions for the textile, packaging and construction industries.

Bio-based Materials

Xampla and Quadram Institute funded to progress gut health initiative

Incotec Group

Incotec and its parent company, Croda, partnered with Xampla for a GBP 640,000 (~USD 863,000) project to develop next-gen seed coatings that were microplastic-free and fully biodegradable as substitutes for seed coating polymers

Enhancing seed and crop traits via biotechnology

Crop Biotech

Companies that develop or use biological, physical and chemical agents and techniques to provide protection and improve the quality of a seed. This includes the sale of seed coating, or seed enhancement products as methods to treat seeds.

<div>
 
 Xampla is a British sustainable plastic materials company. The company was founded as a spinoff from the University of Cambridge. Xampla has developed its patented technology after 15 years of research led by experts in the field. The company manufactures cutting-edge material developed from sustainable natural sources, which serves as a direct, high-performance substitute for plastic. These materials are versatile and can be tailored for food-related applications, using various food-grade plant proteins and other natural ingredients. The company claims that it has the world&rsquo;s first technology that protects fortified beverages by encasing vitamins and nutrients in an edible plant-protein layer, ensuring they remain intact during shipping in clear, recyclable bottles.
 
 
 
 
 In September 2023, the company launched a consumer brand called &ldquo;Morro,&rdquo; which aims to rid the world of single-use plastics. Morro materials are high-performing, sustainable, and biodegradable in the natural environment. They are also stated to be edible and soluble, making them suitable for use in food packaging. As of October 2023, the company noted that it is exploring the use of proteins derived from agricultural waste, including leguminous crop leftovers, for potential applications.
 
 
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 
 
 The company works with global brands such as Gousto, a leading meal kit company, and Britvic, a prominent soft drink manufacturer. The company partnered with Gousto in 2021 to produce the first-ever edible plant protein stock-cube wrapper, a sustainable alternative to plastic, offering the required shelf-life stability. In 2022, it signed a GBP 1 million (~USD 1.2 million) packaging innovation partnership with Britvic.&nbsp;
 
 
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In January 2021, the company raised GBP 6.2 million (~USD 7.5 million) in a seed funding round spearheaded by the investors behind Zoom to expedite the introduction of its advanced plastic alternative. 
 In January 2024, Xampla and the 2M Group of Companies were awarded the 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25289">
 Innovate UK Smart Grant
 </a>
 to scale up Morro production to several tons per day at the Milton Keynes site.
 
 
 
</div>

<div>
 
 Bolt Threads manufactures vegan &ldquo;spider&rdquo; silk and mycelium-based materials. Bolt Threads develops isolated silk proteins from proteins inspired by spider silk through a yeast fermentation process. The company&rsquo;s Microsilk products are sold under its clothing brand, Best Made Co. The company has also developed another biomaterial using mushroom-based mycelium, an alternative leather product branded as Mylo, which was expected to be produced on a larger scale.&nbsp;
 
 
 In September 2021, Bolt Threads announced its plans to produce Mylo on a commercial scale by the end of 2022 and expected to collaborate with mushroom farmers to heighten its mycelium crops. Though the company reported 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19867">
 halting production of Mylo
 </a>
 in June 2023 due to inflationary pressure and lack of funding, in October 2023, the company announced entering a 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22431">
 SPAC deal
 </a>
 to go public on the Nasdaq.&nbsp;
 
 
 For its Microsilk product, Bolt had a production capacity of 32,000 sq ft per annum as of 2018. Since Microsilk remains significantly more expensive than traditional silk, the founders were seeking ways to scale up.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 For its Microsilk product, Bolt Threads launched its first collaboration in 2017 with fashion designer Stella McCartney and introduced its second prototype in the form of a biodegradable tennis dress.
 &nbsp;
 
 
 The leather alternative Mylo has been used in collaborations with Stella McCartney, Seattle-based leather bag manufacturer Chester Wallace, and Canadian athletic apparel retailer Lululemon. In October 2020, the Mylo Consortium was also formed including Adidas, Stella McCartney, Kering, and Lululemon, who collectively have made a seven-figure investment into Bolt Threads to produce Mylo. In return for their investments, these brands would have access to a large supply of the product.&nbsp;
 
 
 Stella McCartney has been experimenting with Mylo to create clothing prototypes with plans to use the material in upcoming collections. Adidas used Mylo to produce high-performance footwear for the first time in April 2021 by making a vegan version of its &ldquo;Stan Smith&rdquo; sneaker design that dates back to 1965 and had plans to expand the use of Mylo material in its other products including handbags, wallets, shoes, jackets. In February 2022, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8404">
 Lululemon
 </a>
 launched a Mylo-based yoga bag collection, which included a multipurpose yoga bag and a storage bag for workout gear. Mylo was also used by Danish luxury brand Ganni for the launch of its limited edition Mylo-based wallet range and one-of-a-kind saddle-bags in June 2022. Ganni&rsquo;s partnership with Bolt Threads included plans to release more Mylo-based products in Q1 2023. With growing demand for its Mylo product, 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8884">
 in February 2022, 
 </a>
 the company partnered with Mycelium Materials Europe (MME) for the commercial production of Mylo but had not been able to materialize its plans.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s last funding round was a USD 123 million Series D in January 2018 led by Baillie Gifford. The funds were used to commercialize the company&rsquo;s Microsilk&nbsp;products.
 
 
 
</div>

Bolt Threads

MycoWorks is a manufacturer of alternative leather using mushroom-based fungi. Its proprietary brand, Reishi, is manufactured using a patented process called “Fine Mycelium”, which uses fungi’s capacity to bind to itself and carbon-based materials in producing durable three-dimensional material. The benefits of Reishi, according to MycoWorks, include its tensile strength (the force needed to pull material to its breaking point) at 10 Megapascals (MPa), compared to the average cowhide tensile strength of 8.5 MPa. Reishi is also customizable (in terms of sizing and specifications) allowing growing direct-to-design products that eliminate waste from cutting and trimming.Mycoworks operates three Reishi plants as of January 2022. The third plant in California has an annual production capacity of 80,000 sq ft of material per year, increased the company’s production tenfold, and reportedly reached a milestone of producing 10,000 trays of Fine Mycelium after a year of operation. The company is also building a new USD 107 million worth manufacturing facility in Union, South Carolina, with operations expected to commence in 2023. The new facility reportedly is expected to produce several million sq ft of Fine Mycelium per year. In August 2023, the company announced opening a <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20757">136,000 square foot plant </a>&nbsp;which will produce Reishi that has been embraced by luxury brands like Hermès and Ligne Roset for various applications and was expected to begin operation on September 20, 2023.Reishi remains in the prototype development and testing phase. The company announced that the material is currently being tested in clothing, shoe, wallet, and handbag design. Key customers and partnershipsThe company indicated in November 2020 that the first luxury fashion and footwear products containing Reishi will be launched in partnership with leading fashion and footwear brands in the coming months. MycoWorks also partnered with Hermès, the French luxury goods manufacturer, in March 2021 to use a material named “Sylvania”(a Fine Mycelium-based material developed by the two companies over three years) in a sustainable version of Hermès’s “Victoria” travel bag, by the end of 2021. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24584">November 2023</a>, the company partnered with YUME YUME for interactive Reishi-based installation at Stedelijk Museum. Funding and financials<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7804">In January 2022</a>, MycoWorks raised USD 125 million in a Series C funding round led by Prime Movers Lab. The funding was expected to accelerate commercial production of Reishi and support in R&amp;D, technology development, and hiring new employees.

MycoWorks

Checkerspot is a manufacturer of microalgae-based performance materials which are used to produce consumer products, including skis and surfboards. The company modifies microalgae’s genes to derive new molecular building blocks and then bioengineers production of consumer products. Microbes are optimized to biomanufacture unique, natural structural oils that were previously not accessible on a viable, commercial scale. The company’s primary focus is on high-performance polyurethanes and coatings made from bio-based oil via fabrication.The company’s commercialized products include Algal Core (a light-weight urethane-based composite) and Algal Wall (cast urethane), both products are offered under the WNDR Alpine brand while algal oil is sold under the miDori bioWick. In February 2021, WNDR Alpine, Checkerspot’s outdoor brand, received the B Corp Certification, private certification granted to for-profit companies by the B Lab, a global non-profit organization formed to support the movement of using businesses as a force for good. Key customers and partnershipsThe company has partnered with Beyond Surface Technologies (BST) to commercialize miDori BioWick, an algal oil used in BST’s wicking textile finish. As of August 2020, the company’s co-development partners also included W.L. Gore and DIC Corporation.Funding and financialsIn its latest funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16362">February 2023, </a>Checkerspot raised USD 55 million in Series C funding led by ArrowMark Partners to accelerate the development and commercialization of biobased alternatives for everyday products and expand into markets, such as industrial applications, personal care, and food and nutrition.

Checkerspot

Mi Terro converts milk waste into sustainable yarn, using a self-developed technology known as Pro-Act that extracts casein protein molecules from milk. The protein is purified and undergoes a dynamic flow shear spinning process, converting the casein to sustainable fiber. The resulting yarn is claimed to be three times softer than cotton and has applications in textiles, food packaging, bedding, personal care, and medical sectors. Mi Terro has also developed a limited-release ocean-waste duffle bag. Key customers and partnershipsThe company has partnered with Nike, Danone, Toyoshima, DFA, Mitsubishi, Lair East Labs, Dole, Budweiser, and Harada. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23179">October 2023</a>, the company partnered with Lipton to develop dissolvable tea pods. Funding and financialsThe company completed two rounds of funding in 2020, raising USD 100,000 in January 2020 and USD 50,000 in March 2020. In January 2021, the company also won the Meda Million Dollar Challenge and received a USD 300,000 prize. In March 2022, the company raised USD 1.5 million in a Seed round led by Astanor to scale up production.

Mi Terro

Modern Meadow develops collagen-based materials from plant proteins, using a range of biofabrication processes including the creation of bio alloys, solution dyeing, protein design, and fermentation. The focus of the company is on the luxury branded market with its fully biodegradable proprietary brand, “ZOA”. Modern Meadow also reports that it is developing “Bioleather1 (BL1)”, an alternative to chrome tanned bovine leather made using its proprietary BioAlloy process. According to research published by the company in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8431">February 2022 </a>, BL1 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80% and 20% compared to traditional and synthetic leather respectively. It also reduces water consumption from groundwater sources, land use, and the subsequent degradation of water bodies during the process by 95% compared to conventional leather production.In April 2020, Modern Meadow announced plans to commence commercial production later that year and was actively looking for manufacturing partners. As of the same date, Modern Meadow employed between 70-90 staff at its 72,000 sq ft factory in New Jersey.Key customers and partnershipsModern Meadow announced a partnership with Evonik in March 2018, to develop and scale-up the commercial production of fermentation-based products.In April 2021, the company reported that it would announce collaborations with fashion brands and industry partners during the following six to nine months. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15657">January 2023 </a>, Modern Meadow partnered with Taiwan-based sustainable fabric company, Singtex to develop biomaterials for various applications, beginning with a sustainable, waterproof, membrane-based material for the outdoor apparel market. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16786">February 2023 </a>, the company partnered with US luxury brand, Tory Burch, to launch Tory Burch’s first plant-based leather alternative tote, the Ella Bio, powered by Modern Meadow technology, Bio-Alloy.In June 2023, it also formed a strategic partnership with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19178">Navis TubeTex </a>, a provider of textile machinery, to develop a sustainable textile manufacturing process. During the same month, it also formed a strategic partnership with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19868">BASF </a>to create an animal-free material called Bio-VERA that replicates the look, feel, and aging properties of traditional leather, suede, or chamois.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30500">June 2024</a>, the company partnered with Earthletica to unveil the Bronte Jacket which used Bio-Alloy Shield technology.Funding and financialsIn April 2021, the company raised USD 130 million in a Series C funding round led by Key Partners Capital to (i) develop the company's biofabrication technology, used in creating an alternative to fossil-fuel-based textile coatings; and (ii) scale-up and commercialize its collagen-based leather material.

Modern Meadow

Developers of materials with applications across apparel, automobile, home goods, etc.

Developers of non-leather material alternatives such as wool, silk, and viscose—mostly for apparel

Developers of alternatives to plastic and other materials used in packaging

Developers of alternative materials for industrial applications such as sporting goods, electronic components, and automotive parts

Reuses waste to create bio-based materials

Sustainable alternatives to materials like animal leather, silk, plastic

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 UK-based sustainable plastic materials company, Xampla, has collaborated with 2M Group of Companies and global packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki to use Xampla's Morro coating in Huhtamaki's food containers. The partnership seeks to scale the usage of the protein-based, plastic-free Morro Coating in selected food-on-the-go packaging, enhancing Huhtamaki's assortment of recyclable and compostable packaging solutions. Moreover, Huhtamaki gets exclusive rights to apply the coating in corrugated board foodservice containers.
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 In November 2023, Xampla partnered with the 2M Group to scale up production and distribution of Morro, with 2M set to produce several tonnes of the material. 2M also announced that it intends to explore further partnerships for the application of Xampla's technology.

Xampla

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