Xampla, a University of Cambridge spin-out seeking to reduce microplastic pollution, today announced £2 million in seed funding.

The round was co-led by Cambridge Enterprise and global technology investor Amadeus Capital Partners, with participation from Sky media group’s impact investment fund Sky Ocean Ventures and the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund VI, managed by Parkwalk Advisors.
Xampla is developing the world’s first plant protein-based replacement for microplastics added to everyday items. The funding will enable the start-up to develop its prototype material into products. Its initial target is the $12 billion microencapsulation market, in which manufacturers of home and personal care products currently rely on synthetic polymer capsules, a usage the EU is considering banning.
Unlike current alternatives to microplastics, which are based on plant polysaccharides, such as cellulose and algae, Xampla’s plant protein materials do not rely on chemical cross-linking for their performance. This enables them to decompose quickly and completely in the natural environment.
In proposing regulations on added microplastics, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) found that each year in Europe added microplastics equivalent to 10 billion plastic bottles were released into the environment and were practically impossible to remove.
The creation of the new material stems from a breakthrough from protein experts Professor Tuomas Knowles and Dr Marc Rodriguez-Garcia, inspired by the process a spider uses to create silk. Xampla facilitates a similar transformation at scale and in a very efficient process by using widely-available and renewable plant proteins, without the need for harmful solvents. The resulting Supramolecular Engineered Protein can be structured into plastic-like materials such as films, gels and capsules. Xampla holds two patents for the new material, with a third in development.
The scale of the potential economic impact of the EU’s proposed restriction can be seen in data submitted by the industry to the ECHA’s stakeholder workshop. For example, Cosmetics Europe, the trade body representing the European cosmetics and personal care industry, stated that a restriction of microplastics in both rinse-off and leave-on products would affect 24,172 formulations, resulting in loss of revenue for the industry of 12.2 billion euros per year.
Image: Xampla founders (page)