Carbon Cell, a materials innovation company, has raised £1.2m in a pre-seed round to scale its novel, plastic-free foam made from biochar and natural polymers. This round was led by Green Angel Ventures and Counteract, with participation from HERmesa, RCA Design and Innovation S/EIS Fund, and One Planet Capital.
At the core of Carbon Cell’s solution is biochar, a carbon-rich material made from agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned or left to decompose. Combined with natural polymers, this creates a high-performance, fully compostable foam that not only avoids plastics and petrochemicals but also boasts a negative carbon footprint because of the carbon captured within the biochar used to make the material.
With growing regulatory momentum and demand for sustainable packaging, Carbon Cell is initially targeting the packaging sector, and producing block foam for modelling in TV/theatre and industrial design, with future applications in insulation and advanced composites.
This funding will support Carbon Cell in scaling manufacturing of its expandable foam pellets, partnering with manufacturers to run foam expansion tests, and delivering larger-scale commercial pilots in the packaging sector.
