Oxford-based materials science startup A&B Smart Materials has closed a £1.5 million pre-seed funding round. The round was led by existing investor Sake Bosch, with new strategic investors Caesar and Living Hope VC, alongside participation from Archipelago Ventures, Triple Impact Ventures, Cranfield University Seed Fund, Oxford Seed Fund, and several business angels from Cambridge Capital Group and Oxford Innovation Finance.
The superabsorbent polymers (SAP) market is sizeable and growing, driven mainly by demand from absorbent hygiene products such as nappies and menstrual pads, with additional use in agriculture and smaller applications in areas like medical products, construction, consumer goods, and water treatment.
Most SAPs in use today are synthetic and fossil-based, and because they are not designed to biodegrade, they can persist in the environment and contribute to microplastic pollution, including through high-volume single-use products such as disposable nappies.
A&B Smart Materials is developing fully biodegradable alternatives to fossil-based superabsorbent polymers, using polymer science and natural feedstocks to create absorbent materials intended to match existing performance requirements and fit within established manufacturing processes. Its approach is based on modified biopolymers derived from widely available, lower-cost natural materials.
A&B Smart Materials co-founder and CTO Dr. Benjamin White said the persistence of synthetic superabsorbent polymers contributes to long-lasting pollution, including microplastics in the environment.
We intend to completely replace these products with biocompatible and biodegradable materials, without compromising on product performance or affordability.
The funding will primarily be used to accelerate R&D to refine A&B’s sustainable superabsorbent polymer formulations and target a combination of strong performance, competitive cost, and industrial-scale validation for hygiene and agricultural applications.
The company’s longer-term objective is to replace synthetic SAPs in a market projected to reach about $17 billion by 2035.
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