QuberTech, biotechnology startup developing sustainable natural rubber from specially engineered dandelions, has raised £3.4 million in combined grant funding and equity investment from UKI2S (managed by Future Planet Capital) and Sustainable Ventures. Funding will accelerate development of QuberTech’s engineering biology platform and support the scaling of commercial operations.
QuberTech’s research and development focuses on engineering high-yield dandelion strains capable of producing sustainable natural rubber and other bio-based products. Natural rubber is used across automotive, healthcare, manufacturing and defence industries, but existing global supply chains rely heavily on imported rubber sourced from tropical growing regions exposed to climate pressures, disease, geopolitical disruption and environmental regulation.
Using advanced biotechnology, the platform cultivates high-yield dandelions capable of producing natural rubber and other bio-based compounds in controlled growing environments. Unlike rubber trees, which take years to mature and are limited to tropical regions, dandelions can be cultivated rapidly in scalable and localised systems closer to industrial demand centres. Alongside natural rubber production, the platform can also generate compounds for use across food, cosmetics, sustainable packaging and advanced biomaterials.
Support has also been provided through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. QuberTech stated that the programme recognises the potential for advanced biotechnology and precision breeding approaches to support more resilient and sustainable industrial supply chains.
As pressure grows on global natural rubber supply chains, every country will need to secure more resilient and sustainable access to this critical industrial material. Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to environmental, geopolitical and commercial pressures. At QuberTech, we’re developing a new generation of sustainable biomaterials using engineering biology to create resilient, locally produced alternatives to imported natural rubber. This critical funding enables us to accelerate R&D, expand our team, and validate our platform at a small pilot scale as we move towards commercial deployment. We believe engineering biology can fundamentally reshape how strategically important industrial materials are produced - creating more sustainable, secure and scalable supply chains for the future.
Natural rubber keeps the world moving, yet global supply chains remain reliant on imported sources that are vulnerable to disruption. QuberTech offers a compelling sustainable alternative. By applying engineering biology to cultivate high-yield dandelions in controlled conditions, the company is developing a more resilient, localised and scalable approach to natural rubber production. Alongside rubber itself, the platform also creates valuable secondary biomaterials with applications across multiple industries - demonstrating the enormous potential of engineering biology to reshape global supply chains and manufacturing. UKI2S is excited to support QuberTech as it develops commercially scalable solutions for one of the world’s most strategically important industrial materials.
QuberTech is tackling a major global sustainability and supply chain challenge with a genuinely innovative biotechnology platform. Natural rubber is essential across countless industries, yet existing production models face growing environmental and geopolitical pressures. QuberTech’s approach has the potential to create a far more sustainable and resilient alternative while unlocking additional value through bio-based co-products. We’re excited to support the team as they scale their technology, strengthen UK capability in sustainable materials, and move towards commercial deployment.
