Xampla secures $14M to replace 10 billion units of single-use plastic

Cambridge-based Xampla, creator of natural materials for commercial use, has secured $14 million in Series A funding to accelerate its mission to replace single-use plastics with plant-based alternatives.

Global plastic production is projected to reach one billion tonnes a year, yet with under 10 per cent ever recycled, around 8 billion tonnes of plastics and microplastics have accumulated in the environment.

Xampla’s Morro materials provide a natural polymer alternative made from regenerative plant proteins. They are fully plastic-free, biodegradable, and home compostable.

Through partnerships with companies like 2M Group of Companies, Huhtamaki, and Transcend Packaging, they’ve already replaced plastic coatings on boxes for Just Eat Takeaway and Bunzl Catering Supplies.

Morro™ Coating maintains the recyclability of cardboard while providing strong grease, oxygen, and moisture barriers. Meanwhile, Morro™ films, now being commercialised globally, are soluble, making them a sustainable replacement for polluting plastic PVA films in dishwasher tablets and laundry pods. Food-safe and even edible, they also offer packaging alternatives for single-serve products, from sweets to soups.

Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, shared:

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. Our ambition now is nothing less than to see our products – proudly bearing their Morro marque – become the world’s go-to plastic replacement.

The investment was led by Emerald Technology Ventures, which manages Europe’s first specialist, venture-backed fund dedicated to the full packaging lifecycle and focused on advancing sustainable materials with strong returns.

Also leading the Series A round were BGF, Matterwave Ventures, with follow-on support from existing backers, including Amadeus Capital Partners and Horizons Ventures.

Neil Cameron, Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures, noted that collaborating with Xampla aligns with their mission to accelerate 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.

Rowan Bird, Investor at BGF, added:

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. 

Ines Kolmsee, Partner at Matterwave Ventures, also commented on the investment, stating that Xampla’s mission is closely aligned with theirs, as the company addresses a critical sustainability challenge with smart technology that integrates seamlessly into existing equipment, ensuring ease of adoption and cost efficiency. She highlighted:

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.

Within the next five years, the funding will enable Xampla’s innovative Morro™ materials to replace over ten billion pieces of the most harmful single-use plastics, such as linings in takeaway boxes, coffee cups, and sachets.