Xampla has raised £10m to accelerate its mission to replace single-use plastics with plant-based alternatives.
The Series A round was led by Emerald Technology Ventures, BGF and Matterwave Ventures, with follow-on investment from Amadeus Capital Partners and Horizons Ventures.
Over the next five years, the funding will support the roll-out of Xampla’s Morro™ materials, which are expected to replace more than ten billion single-use plastic items, including linings in takeaway boxes, coffee cups and sachets.
Morro™ is a world-first natural polymer made from regenerative plant proteins. It is plastic-free, biodegradable, home compostable and exempt from the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive.
The company is already working with major partners such as 2M Group of Companies, Huhtamaki and Transcend Packaging, and has supplied coatings for Just Eat Takeaway and Bunzl Catering Supplies. Unlike plastic, Morro™ Coating preserves the recyclability of cardboard while providing effective grease, oxygen and moisture barriers.
Morro™ films, now being commercialised through global partnerships, are soluble and food-safe, making them a potential replacement for PVA films in dishwasher tablets and laundry pods, as well as edible packaging for single-serve products.
Xampla is also collaborating with FMCG brands and fragrance houses to use Morro™ materials in place of plastic microencapsulates in homecare and beauty products. Made from abundant feedstocks including peas, rapeseed and sunflower, the materials are fully PFAS-free and designed to scale globally.
This is a major vote of confidence for our revolutionary replacements for polluting plastics, and will see us expanding into Asia Pacific as well as growing in the UK and Europe. We have proven to investors and to brands that Morro™ materials are the real deal in making plastic a material of the past. In just the next five years, Xampla will replace ten billion pieces of single-use plastic. This is the technology industry has been crying out for. Our ambition now is nothing less than to see our products – proudly bearing their Morro marque – become the world’s go-to plastic replacement.
Alexandra French, CEO
Working with Xampla is part of our mission to turbocharge a revolution in innovative packaging. This technology hits the sweet spot I search for: a big solution to a big problem that can reap big rewards. And with its current global traction, there is huge potential to scale even further. The global barrier coatings market alone is set to be worth over $30bn by 2032, and that is just the beginning.
Neil Cameron, Investor at Emerald Technology Ventures
Xampla’s technology stands out as a truly scalable and practical alternative to plastic. Its patented, entirely natural and PFAS-free material is not only strong in performance but also drop-in ready for existing manufacturing lines, making it an attractive option for brands looking to adopt more sustainable solutions. We believe in the strength of the team, the quality of the product, and the positive role Xampla can play in helping reduce reliance on polluting plastics. We’re excited to support their continued growth as they bring this innovation to more partners and applications.
Rowan Bird, Investor at BGF
Xampla’s mission fully aligns with ours: they are tackling a major sustainability issue with smart technology that can be used in existing manufacturing equipment, making it both easy to adopt and capital efficient. What really wowed us is their global team. These are real experts, drawing on the best science from the University of Cambridge and elsewhere. But this isn’t an academic exercise. They have got their product out of the lab and into the market. It is a remarkable achievement and I know they will now go from strength to strength.
Ines Kolmsee, Partner at Matterwave Ventures
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