The round is led by SWEN Capital Partners‘ Blue Ocean fund, with participation from Alpha Star Capital and Cambridge Enterprise Ventures. The investment accelerates Sparxell’s transition from pilot programmes to commercial-scale manufacturing, with tonne-scale production facilities operational by 2026.
Sparxell is on a mission to revolutionise the world of industrial colourants. Its patented technology uses cellulose from wood pulp to create structural colour – the same principle that creates iridescent butterfly wings – eliminating petroleum-based chemicals, titanium dioxide and toxic heavy metals and minerals. The textile industry alone releases 1.5 million tonnes of toxic synthetic dyes into waterways annually.
Dr Benjamin Droguet, Founder and CEO of Sparxell, said:
“Our technology isn’t just an alternative – it is here to stay because it delivers superior performance due to its nature-inspired features. This funding takes us from proof of concept to production and commercial launches. “
He continued, “We’re at an inflection point. Brands are under pressure to eliminate synthetic toxins from their supply chains. Momentum is building in Europe around banning forever chemicals such as PFAS. The EU microplastics ban is also now in force, while the FDA is reassessing synthetic colour additives.”
The Sparxell team
The investment follows a landmark year for Sparxell. Earlier this year, Sparxell secured a €1.9 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC). Commercial validation has come through high-profile partnerships. Sparxell announced a collaboration with British luxury brand Patrick McDowell and launched commercially available plant-based textile inks with Positive Materials.
SWEN Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean fund focuses on solutions to plastic and chemical pollution, while Alpha Star Capital brings deep expertise in biomimicry and AI-driven innovation with extensive fashion and beauty connections. Cambridge Enterprise’s continued investment validates Sparxell’s progress since spinning out from world leading academic research at the University of Cambridge.
“This investment is an important milestone in Sparxell’s development, enabling more sustainable colourants based on natural, biodegradable pigments delivering tangible environmental benefits as the technology scales.”
Chris Gibbs continued:
“We’re pleased to have worked alongside the team since their earliest stages and to continue to support them through this next phase. The team has built a great round and a great investor syndicate to take the technology global.”
The Pre-Series A funding will drive three strategic priorities: scaling manufacturing to tonne-scale production, accelerating product certification for textiles, cosmetics, and automotive applications. The company is looking to hire new key staff, including for business development. Following several fully funded pilot projects with global brands and manufacturers, Sparxell will announce major commercial partnerships in 2026.
“Every major brand knows they need to eliminate toxic chemicals and colourants. These have been on their checklist but with limited options that truly compete with synthetics’ performance. The question isn’t if, but when and how. We have the answer from nature itself,” added Droguet. “We’re giving them a solution that’s ready now, performs better, and costs competitively at scale. Brands no longer have to choose between sustainability and performance.”
