Wull Technologies, a joint venture between Manchester-based Vector Labs and Wool Insulation Wales, has raised £300,000 to commercialise its rigid insulation panels made from Welsh mountain sheep wool. The round was backed by the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s GM Advance fund, each investing £150,000.
The panels, branded LAMDA, are being manufactured in Manchester using a patent-pending, plastic-free green chemistry process. The technology was developed by Vector Labs’ materials scientists with input from University of Manchester academics.
LAMDA offers a recyclable, biodegradable alternative to mineral wool, with competitive thermal and acoustic performance and superior moisture management—especially valuable for retrofitting heritage buildings and preventing damp in homes.
Wull Technologies has now secured over £500,000 in total funding, including a previous £200,000 grant from Innovate UK’s REforMM programme. The company aims to scale production and explore additional applications in packaging, horticulture, and interior design.
The joint venture sees Vector Labs lead on research and manufacturing, while Wool Insulation Wales brings sector expertise. Vector Labs is based at Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and is part of Vector Group, which includes low-carbon housing startup Vector Homes.
Our scientists have developed a patent-pending process to create rigid sheep wool panels without adding any plastics. This ensures that LAMDA panels are recyclable, biodegradable and provide a sustainable alternative to mineral wool insulation, which is derived from high-energy mining processes.
Liam Britnell, Technical Director
The retrofit challenge presents a huge opportunity to invest in circular economies built around local supply chains and natural materials. With many millions of kilograms of wool produced annually in the UK as a byproduct of sheep farming, Wull Technologies provides an innovative and new market for it. The biophilic look and feel of LAMDA also makes for a refreshing change from the plastics that dominate our built environment. We’re incredibly grateful to both the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the University of Manchester Innovation Factory for their support. Their investment means we can now move forward to the next stage of development and begin scaling up for full commercialisation.
Ruth-Marie Mackrodt, Commercial Director
We’ve helped facilitate collaborative input from academic experts into the materials science behind LAMDA, ensuring the product is grounded in cutting-edge research. We're delighted to formalise our partnership with Wull Technologies and to be part of the company’s journey as it grows and continues to innovate in future. Through this partnership and continued engagement with the university and Innovation Factory, we're confident the company can become a major player in the application of sustainable materials across multiple industries.
Nic Gowland, Investor at University of Manchester Innovation Factory
