€13.4m funding for cellulose alternative to titanium dioxide

Seprify, the Swiss bio-materials company developing cellulose-based ingredients for industrial applications such as food coating, has announced the transition of its cellulose platform from pilot validation into procurement-ready industrial supply. The shift responds to growing demand for scalable, bio-based alternatives to materials such as titanium dioxide.

To support this transition, Seprify has raised €13.4 million in Series A funding from a mix of strategic and financial investors with experience in industrial scale-up. The round includes participation from Inter IKEA Group, alongside investors Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund and other circular-economy-aligned investors.

Seprify will now scale commercial production to hundreds of tonnes per year through established manufacturing partners, support commercial rollout across its priority markets and advance engineering work for future industrial-scale capacity.

“This funding enables us to focus on execution and scale,” said Lukas Schertel, Co-founder & CEO of Seprify. “Our immediate priority is delivering consistent quality and reliable supply, meeting the operational standards large industrial customers require. In the near term, that means supporting cosmetics and personal care, including suncare, as well as food and pet food. We are also scaling for higher-volume applications such as coatings, inks and printed electronics, reflecting the broader potential of our cellulose platform.”

Image: Supplied