Table of Contents

Overview: Who is Xampla & What’s the Raise

Xampla is a Cambridge, UK-based green materials startup, spun out of over 15 years of research at the University of Cambridge (led by Prof. Tuomas Knowles and Dr. Marc Rodriguez Garcia). (Xampla)
The company is best known for its Morro™ line of materials: plant-protein based coatings, films, microcapsules, etc., designed as drop-in replacements for many single-use or problematic plastics. (Xampla)
As of early September 2025, Xampla raised US$14 million (≈ £10.2 million) in a Series A funding round. Lead investors include Emerald Technology Ventures, BGF, and Matterwave Ventures, with participation from existing backers (Amadeus Capital, Horizons Ventures, etc.). (businessweekly.co.uk)
The core goal declared with this funding is to replace more than ten billion units of single-use plastic over the next five years using its Morro materials. (GlobeNewswire)

What Xampla’s Technology & Product Portfolio Looks Like

To understand what this startup is capable of, it helps to examine what its materials do, and where they are already being used or tested.

Key Features of Morro Materials

Feedstocks:
- Made from plant proteins, including peas, rapeseed, sunflower, and also agricultural waste. (industrialnews.co.uk)
- No synthetic plastics or PFAS chemicals. (Xampla)
Performance:
- Offering properties like grease, oxygen, moisture barrier functionality, strength comparable to plastic linings/coatings. (industrialnews.co.uk)
- Compatible with existing industrial/manufacturing processes (so companies in packaging, food service etc. can adopt without fully re-tooling). (businessweekly.co.uk)
End-of-life & Biodegradability:
- Fully biodegradable / home-compostable. (Xampla)
- Designed to avoid persistent microplastics; even microcapsules used for fragrance etc. are replaced with materials that degrade. (Xampla)

Existing Applications / Partners

Xampla already has partnerships with companies like 2M Group of Companies, Huhtamaki, Transcend Packaging. These are helping to bring Morro coatings and films into commercial usage. (industrialnews.co.uk)
Examples:
- Coatings on takeaway boxes, coffee cups, sachets. (industrialnews.co.uk)
- Replacing PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) films in dishwasher tablets / laundry pods. (businessweekly.co.uk)
- Food-safe edible packaging in some single-serve applications (sweets, soups) and also microcapsules in fragrances and homecare/cosmetics. (industrialnews.co.uk)

Context: Why This Matters Now in UK & Globally

This is not happening in a vacuum. Several external drivers greatly increase the significance of what Xampla is doing.

Regulatory Pressure

In the EU, the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and related laws are phasing out many plastic items, raising requirements for producers (e.g. extended producer responsibility). (The Times)
In the UK, regulations are tightening around plastic packaging: for example, extended producer responsibility for packaging, upcoming regulations and taxes on problematic plastics, greater scrutiny of plastic additives (PFAS etc). Xampla’s materials are designed to be exempt from some of these problematic classifications because they are plastic-free. (industrialnews.co.uk)

Consumer Demand & Brand Pressure

Surveys show increasing consumer preference for packaging that is compostable, plastic-free, especially natural packaging. For example, in a UK survey, a large majority of respondents preferred plastic-free or home-compostable packaging. (Packaging News)
Brands are under pressure from supply chain, reputation, ESG/ESR (environmental/social governance/responsibility) goals to reduce plastic usage. Being able to use drop-in alternatives that maintain performance is critical for fast adoption.

Technical & Innovation Trends

Bioplastics / plant-based materials are gaining much more attention. But many existing alternatives have trade-offs: e.g. requiring industrial composting, or weaker barrier properties, or being expensive. Xampla’s claim is to deliver high performance (barrier properties, strength, grease resistance etc) while preserving biodegradability and using non-toxic, renewable feedstocks.
There’s also interest in “hidden plastics” (microcapsules, coatings, sachet linings etc.) that are harder to regulate or replace. Xampla is targeting some of these use cases. (Xampla)

What This Raise Enables: Plans & Scaling

With the new $14M funds, Xampla is intending to do several things:

Scale production and licensing
- Expand manufacturing capacity: working with 2M Group to scale up production of Morro materials in Milton Keynes (UK). (Xampla)
- License or collaborate with partners to bring the materials to broader markets including Asia-Pacific, Europe. (businessweekly.co.uk)
Replace large volumes of single-use plastics
- Target more than 10 billion units over five years. These would cover various plastic products: linings (takeaway boxes, coffee cups), sachets, films etc. (businessweekly.co.uk)
Feature expansion into varied formats
- Developing Morro films, coatings, edible packaging, soluble films (e.g. for cleaning pods), microcapsules in home and beauty care. (businessweekly.co.uk)
Maintain regulatory & safety compliance
- Ensure materials are food-safe, meet barrier, moisture, grease resistance, etc., and can be composted (home compost where possible). (Xampla)

Examples / Case Studies

Here are specific examples and pilots that show Xampla is not just theoretical:

Partnership with 2M Group: to scale Morro materials production volume, manufacture multiple tonnes per day at Milton Keynes. (Xampla)
Takeaway box coatings & food packaging: replacing petroleum-based coatings that prevent grease/ moisture penetration. The challenge here is that such coatings often make cardboard unrecyclable; Xampla claims its Morro coatings maintain cardboard recyclability. (industrialnews.co.uk)
Edible packaging pilot: meal-kit provider Gousto used Morro edible films / wrappers. (The Engineer)
Microcapsules and sachets: materials to replace plastic wrappers or microplastic capsules in detergents/homecare. (Xampla)

Challenges & Open Questions

While the raise is promising, there are multiple technical, commercial and regulatory challenges that Xampla (and similar startups) must address to realize the full potential.

Performance vs Cost Trade-Offs
- Matching plastic’s performance (in terms of barrier properties, durability, shelf life, moisture/grease protection) is non-trivial. Some plastics have nearly perfect performance for low cost; replacement materials often are more expensive. Xampla claims they match many of these properties, but cost per unit at scale, supplier reliability, consistency remain to be proven.
Scaling Manufacturing
- Producing enough Morro materials at industrial scale (~tonnes per day) to meet demand is a major operational challenge. The partnership with 2M is a step, but supply chain for these plant proteins, quality control, processing equipment, capacity, logistics etc. all need to scale.
Regulation, Certification & Standards
- To replace plastics in food packaging especially, materials need to pass strict safety, food contact, hygiene, migration, shelf life, stability regulatory regimes.
- Biodegradability claims must meet standardized test standards; compostability (industrial vs home) and real environmental fate (e.g. in soil, marine) need verification.
Consumer Acceptance & Behaviour
- Even when better materials exist, consumer behaviour and retailer preferences matter. Packaging must look, feel, perform well; cost must be acceptable; supply must be reliable.
End-of-Life Infrastructure
- Compostable / biodegradable are valuable, but if waste infrastructure (composting, home composting, collection, sorting) is insufficient, advantages may not be realized.
- For example, many municipalities do not collect compostable packaging, or home composting may degrade materials slower than in lab conditions.
Competition and Substitution Risks
- Other technologies (bioplastics, algae-based, seaweed-based, synthetic biodegradable polymers, recycling technologies) are also advancing. Xampla must differentiate not just on biodegradability, but cost, performance, scale, supply chain resilience.

Implications for UK Sustainability Tech

What this raise and Xampla’s business more broadly mean for sustainability, innovation ecosystems, and the UK’s green tech sector.

Proof that capital is flowing into green materials
- The $14M Series A signals investor belief in material innovation, not just software / carbon markets. It helps galvanize the “deep tech” side of sustainability: startups that have long R&D cycles and high technical risk.
UK positioning in advanced materials
- Cambridge is known for strong materials science; having spin-outs like Xampla helps anchor the UK as a leader in plant-based biodegradable alternatives.
- Partnerships with UK manufacturers (e.g. 2M Group) also help retain value and job creation domestically.
Regulation as both driver and barrier
- The regulatory environment (in the UK, EU, Asia) for single-use plastics is tightening, which creates demand pull. Xampla is well-positioned to benefit from such demand.
- At the same time, regulatory clarity is needed about standards (what counts as biodegradable, compostable, safe, etc.), and governments may need to invest in waste handling and composting infrastructure.
Economic & ESG pressures on brands
- Big brands are under ESG pressures from consumers, investors, regulators: reducing plastic use is part of corporate sustainability goals. Suppliers who can offer alternatives that can be plugged into existing supply chains (drop-in) have an advantage.
Catalysing related sectors
- Growth of startups like Xampla drives demand for plant-protein feedstocks, agricultural waste valorisation, biotech processing, composting & circular economy infrastructure.
- It may also incentivize innovation in materials beyond just packaging: microcapsules, coatings, films etc.

Case Comparisons: Similar Startups & Alternatives

To put Xampla in perspective, here are a few analogous companies / technologies, showing what’s similar / different, what we might learn.

Company / Example	What They Do	Key Differences / Lessons
Notpla (UK)	Seaweed-based packaging, coatings (e.g. food containers, pouches)	Very natural feedstock, but seaweed has supply constraints; performance sometimes lower; biodegradable but often only under certain conditions.
Avantium (Netherlands)	Plant-based polymers for bottles/films (e.g. PEF)	More polymer science; high capital intensity; longer to scale up large volumes.
Shellworks	Materials from microbes, compostable	Similar biodegradability angle; competition in cost, scale and regulatory acceptance.
Mura Technology (UK)	Advanced plastic recycling (breaking down mixed plastic to usable feedstocks) (Reuters)	Doesn’t eliminate plastics but improves circularity; compliment rather than direct substitute.

From these, some clear patterns:

There’s a trade-off between natural/renewable feedstocks and yield/cost.
Drop-in replacements (that fit existing manufacturing lines) tend to have better uptake.
Regulatory clarity, standards, and waste treatment infrastructure are often the bottleneck once product tech is proven.

What “Replacing Ten Billion Single-Use Plastics” Means in Practice

Let’s unpack the claim: Xampla aims to replace over 10 billion units of single-use plastic items over the next five years. What does that scale look like, what are the challenges and what might realistically be achieved?

What kinds of units: items like plastic linings (inside coffee cups, takeaway boxes), sachets (e.g. condiments, sauces), films (pouches, laundry pods, dishwasher tablets), microcapsules (in beauty/home care), coatings on paperboard etc. These are high-volume, often thin plastic items that are hard to recycle. (industrialnews.co.uk)
Volume & impact: Even thin coatings or linings count as units, so ten billion might translate into moderate tonnage (depending on weight). The environmental benefits include reduced plastic pollution (less microplastics, less material ending up in landfills or incineration), reduced GHG emissions from plastic manufacture, and improved recyclability of paper/cardboard where coatings have prevented recycling.
Timescale & geography: Expect most of this replacement to start in the UK and Europe, then expand into Asia Pacific. Scaling supply chain, production capacity, regulatory approvals will take time. Some items (coatings etc.) may scale earlier; more complex ones (edible films, microcapsules) might take longer.
Cost & Price impact: To replace 10B units, cost must come down. Initially, Morro materials will cost more than conventional plastics; price declines are likely with scale. Brand and regulatory incentives help (e.g. taxes/penalties on non-compliant plastics, higher recycling/producer responsibility costs).

Risks & What Can Go Wrong

It helps to also consider what could prevent Xampla from meeting its goals, or where the pitfalls lie.

Material Performance Under Real-World Conditions
- Coatings/films must survive transport, moisture, heat, shelf life, food contact etc. If they degrade prematurely, or if barrier properties fail, rejects or waste can increase.
- Edible films / wrappers need to be stable until intended, safe, and acceptable to consumers.
Supply Chain Constraints
- Sourcing large volumes of plant proteins and agricultural waste consistently (in quality, purity, supply chain reliability) can be challenging.
- Competing demand for those feedstocks (food, feed, other bioplastics) could drive up prices.
Standardization and Certification Delays
- Achieving food contact safety, biodegradability/compostability certification (home compost vs industrial compost), environmental labeling can be slow and expensive.
- Different regulatory regimes in different countries complicate scaling globally.
Waste Management & End-of-Life
- Even if the material is home-compostable, many municipalities do not collect compostable packaging separately, or food waste/compost streams are contaminated.
- Awareness and consumer behaviour affect whether compostable materials are disposed of properly.
Cost Sensitivity
- Many end customers (packaging manufacturers,食品 companies, retailers) operate on slim margins. If Morro materials cost significantly more per unit than conventional plastic, adoption could be limited unless regulatory/tax incentives or demand from consumers/brands offset this.
Competition
- Other materials and biopolymers may compete; some may offer even lower cost or better performance in certain niches.
- Also, improvements in recycling, chemical recycling, or reuse systems may reduce the need for some alternatives.

What This Implies for UK Sustainability Tech & Policy

Given all of this, here are some broader implications for how this contributes to the UK sustainability technology landscape, and what policy, economic, and industry shifts may result.

Government Role: UK policies like the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, UK’s targets for plastic waste, and perhaps plastic taxes/levies make alternatives like Morro more commercially attractive. The grant funding (e.g. Innovate UK Smart Grant) is helping Xampla scale manufacturing. (Xampla)
Industrial Innovation & Infrastructure: Scaling from lab to industrial scale is often a bottleneck. Partnerships with manufacturers (2M Group) show that UK is bolstering infrastructure. Also, expanding composting / waste management infrastructures will be important to realize material end-of-life benefits.
Investment Trends: The fact that leading VCs are investing in materials innovation suggests that there is belief in the commercial viability of bioplastics / alternatives. It may encourage more startups, more R&D, more spin-outs from universities.
Consumer & Brand Pressure: Brands that lag in reducing plastic or using better materials may get reputational or regulatory risk. Having viable, high-performance alternatives makes it easier for brands to make commitments without compromising on performance or cost.
Export / Global Expansion: Because plastics are a global problem, there is a large international market for alternatives, especially in regions with strong regulation or plastic waste issues (Asia, EU). If Xampla can scale effectively, there are export opportunities.

Commentary & Analysis

Putting it all together, here’s an evaluative perspective on what this means, both optimistically and more skeptically.

What’s Very Positive

The technology looks strong: plant protein materials, good barrier/coating performance, partnering with existing manufacturers, use cases already underway. It is not “idea stage” but moving into real market pilots.
The funding is substantial enough to push scaling, which is often where green material startups stall.
Regulatory tailwinds are real: plastic bans, increasing costs/penalties for plastic use, rising consumer expectations. Xampla is well-positioned to ride those.
The “drop-in” aspect (compatibility with existing machinery, minimal changes required) is crucial. That reduces switching costs for brands/manufacturers.

What to Watch With Caution

Scaling is always where many such startups hit friction. From manufacturing knobs, to procurement of feedstocks, to consistent quality, to logistics.
Cost remains a big unknown: currently, biobased coatings etc. tend to cost more. For widespread adoption, costs must fall or regulatory/market pressures must offset the cost premium.
Some of the claims (e.g. full biodegradability / home compostability) often depend on context: climate, composting facility, contamination, thickness etc. Real environmental impact depends on proper disposal.
Measuring “replacement” of single-use plastics by “units” can sometimes mask mass, carbon footprint, or environmental trade-offs; replacing many small plastic items is good, but if weight or lifecycle GHGs remain high, benefits may be less dramatic than headline numbers suggest.

What To Look For Going Forward

To assess whether Xampla’s raise and mission translate into material change, some metrics & milestones to monitor include:

Production volumes (tonnes per day, or similar) of Morro materials; how rapidly capacity scales up.
Cost per unit / cost per square metre / cost per film / coating relative to plastic alternatives. How that cost curve declines as scale increases.
Adoption by major brands: announcements from large FMCG / packaging / food & drink companies integrating Morro into mainstream product lines.
Regulatory approvals & certifications: food contact approvals, compostability/biodegradability certified in multiple geographies, ability to pass barrier and safety standards.
Environmental impact data: life-cycle assessments (LCAs) showing GHG emissions, resource inputs, end-of-life behaviour; empirical data on biodegradation, composting etc.
Waste infrastructure / end-of-life management: are composting, biodegradable waste collection, industrial/home composting being enabled or expanded to handle plant-based biodegradable materials?
Competitive dynamics: how do costs and performance compare to other bio-alternatives or advanced recycling? Are competitors emerging with alternative feedstocks or synthetic biopolymers doing better in certain niches?

Green Materials Startup Xampla Raises $14M: Replacing Single-Use Plastics and the Future of UK Sustainability Tech

Case Studies, Comments, and Examples

The UK’s fight against plastic pollution has reached a critical juncture, with new regulations banning single-use plastics and businesses scrambling to find viable alternatives. In a major boost for the country’s green tech ecosystem, Cambridge-based startup Xampla has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round to scale its pioneering technology for natural, plant-based alternatives to single-use plastics.

The round was backed by Amadeus Capital Partners, Delin Ventures, and Clean Growth Fund, alongside new investors with expertise in sustainable packaging and consumer goods. Xampla’s mission is to replace polluting plastics with biodegradable, compostable materials made from renewable plant proteins, offering an end-to-end solution for industries ranging from food and drink to home care and cosmetics.

This story is more than just a funding announcement — it signals a potential paradigm shift for UK sustainability tech, positioning the nation as a leader in the rapidly expanding global market for green materials.

The Problem: The Scale of Single-Use Plastic Waste

Single-use plastics account for nearly 50% of global plastic waste, with items like sachets, films, and wrappers posing the greatest challenge because they are difficult to recycle and often escape waste management systems entirely. According to UK Government data:

The UK produces 5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with over 60% of this coming from packaging.
Lightweight plastics like films and sachets represent 40% of litter found on British beaches (Marine Conservation Society, 2024).

While bans on plastic straws and cutlery have been effective, many industries lack functional, affordable alternatives. Traditional bioplastics made from starch or polylactic acid (PLA) still require industrial composting and may not degrade effectively in natural environments.

This is where Xampla’s innovation comes in.

Xampla’s Technology: Plant Protein-Based Materials

Xampla’s technology emerged from 15 years of research at the University of Cambridge, led by Professor Tuomas Knowles, a world-renowned expert in protein science. Inspired by the natural structure of spider silk, the team developed a process to assemble plant proteins into robust, flexible films and coatings — without synthetic additives or plastics.

Key Advantages:

100% Natural and Home Compostable
- Breaks down in soil or water without releasing microplastics.
- Certified for home composting, unlike many bioplastics.
Plastic-Like Performance
- Comparable strength, barrier properties, and flexibility to conventional plastics.
- Suitable for high-volume manufacturing.
Sustainable Supply Chain
- Uses agricultural byproducts such as pea protein or soy waste.
- Reduces dependence on petroleum-based inputs.

Comment:

“We’ve essentially taught plant proteins to behave like plastics, without the environmental baggage. Our materials are designed to fit seamlessly into existing supply chains while delivering true circularity.”
— Simon Hombersley, CEO of Xampla

Funding Round: Scaling for Global Impact

The $14M Series A round will allow Xampla to:

Expand its Cambridge production facility, increasing output by 5x.
Develop a global commercial team to target European and North American markets.
Fund R&D partnerships to refine material properties for specific industries such as personal care and agriculture.
Accelerate product certifications and regulatory approvals.

Investor Comment:

“Xampla has solved one of the hardest problems in sustainability: creating a drop-in replacement for single-use plastics that is scalable and commercially viable. This funding will help them become a global leader.”
— Anne Glover, Amadeus Capital Partners

Case Study 1: Unilever Partnership for Laundry Capsules

Problem:
Laundry detergent pods are often made with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which dissolves in water but can still generate microplastics that persist in wastewater systems.

Solution:
Unilever partnered with Xampla to replace the plastic film around laundry capsules with Xampla’s natural material.

Outcome:

Pilot program achieved 100% plastic-free capsules.
Xampla’s film dissolved completely, leaving no microplastic residue.
Unilever committed to scaling the solution across its European product lines.

Comment:

“Working with Xampla has allowed us to rethink packaging at the molecular level. This is a critical step toward our 2030 goal of halving virgin plastic use.”
— Richard Slater, Chief R&D Officer, Unilever

Case Study 2: Gousto Edible Soup Sachets

Problem:
Meal kit companies like Gousto rely heavily on small plastic sachets for ingredients like sauces and seasonings, which are notoriously hard to recycle.

Solution:
Xampla developed an edible, plant-based sachet that dissolves completely in hot water.

Outcome:

Trial reduced packaging waste per meal kit by 20%.
Customers reported high satisfaction due to reduced guilt about waste.

Example:
A Gousto vegetable soup sachet was added directly to a pan of boiling water, leaving no packaging to throw away.

Comment:

“Consumers are demanding packaging-free experiences. Xampla’s innovation allows us to deliver exactly that without compromising quality.”
— Timo Boldt, CEO, Gousto

Case Study 3: Agricultural Coatings for Seed Protection

Problem:
Farmers use plastic-based coatings to protect seeds from pests and diseases, which can contaminate soil and water systems.

Solution:
Xampla partnered with a UK agri-tech firm to replace these coatings with a natural, biodegradable alternative.

Pilot Results:

95% of seeds germinated successfully with Xampla coatings.
Soil samples showed zero microplastic contamination after 90 days.

Potential Impact:
If scaled, this could eliminate millions of tonnes of agricultural plastic waste annually worldwide.

The UK Sustainability Tech Ecosystem

Xampla’s success reflects the UK’s growing green tech sector, supported by government initiatives like the UK Plastic Packaging Tax and Innovate UK grants.

UK Market Drivers:

Legislation:
- Bans on single-use items like cutlery and stirrers (effective 2023).
- Mandatory 30% recycled content in plastic packaging.
Consumer Demand:
- 72% of UK shoppers say they prefer brands with plastic-free packaging (Mintel, 2025).
Corporate Sustainability Goals:
- Retailers like Tesco and Marks & Spencer targeting net-zero packaging footprints by 2035.

Comment:

“Startups like Xampla are critical to meeting the UK’s circular economy goals. Their solutions enable businesses to comply with regulation while gaining a competitive edge.”
— Rebecca Pow, UK Minister for Environment

Comparisons and Competitors

Company	Technology	Home Compostable?	Scalability
Xampla	Plant protein films	Yes	High
Notpla (UK)	Seaweed-based packaging	Yes	Medium
Novamont (Italy)	Biodegradable PLA blends	No (Industrial only)	High
RWDC Industries (US)	PHA biopolymers	Yes	Medium

Example:
While Notpla gained attention for its seaweed-based sachets used at events like the London Marathon, Xampla’s technology is more versatile, applicable to a wider range of industrial use cases, including films, coatings, and microcapsules.

Challenges Ahead for Xampla

Despite its success, Xampla faces several challenges:

Cost Competitiveness:
- Scaling production to match the low cost of petroleum plastics remains a hurdle.
Global Regulatory Alignment:
- Standards for compostability vary by region, complicating international expansion.
Consumer Education:
- Some consumers may be skeptical of edible or dissolvable packaging innovations.

Comment:

“The key to success will be building consumer trust while driving down costs through scale. Partnerships with major brands will accelerate this process.”
— James Perry, Sustainability Consultant

Future Outlook: A Global Market Opportunity

The global market for sustainable packaging is projected to reach $530 billion by 2032 (Allied Market Research).
With its scalable technology, Xampla is well-positioned to capture a significant share, particularly in:

Food and beverage sachets
Personal care products
Agricultural applications
Home cleaning products

Example of Potential Impact:
If Xampla replaces just 1% of the UK’s plastic packaging waste, it would eliminate 50,000 tonnes of plastic annually, equivalent to over 2 billion single-use sachets.

Conclusion: A Milestone for UK Sustainability Tech

Xampla’s $14M funding round is more than just a startup success story — it’s a signal of maturity for the UK’s green tech sector. By offering a truly scalable, home-compostable alternative to plastics, Xampla provides a blueprint for how deep science and commercial innovation can combine to solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems.

Through partnerships with giants like Unilever and Gousto, Xampla is already demonstrating real-world impact. If successful at scale, the company could help the UK become a global leader in sustainable materials, driving both economic growth and environmental restoration.

As the plastic crisis intensifies, startups like Xampla show that innovation — rooted in science and scaled through strategic investment — can deliver the solutions our planet desperately needs.