LVMH-backed pioneer of world’s first 100% plant-based colourant secures €1.9m grant
Sparxell, the LVMH-backed University of Cambridge ‘spin-out’ and pioneer of the world’s first 100% plant-based colourant, has secured a €1.9 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC).
The funds will support Sparxell’s scale-up to tonne-level production, marking a significant step forward in its "mission to transform the $48 billion global colourants market" with high performance, biodegradable alternatives to synthetic dyes.
Dr. Benjamin Droguet, founder and CEO of Sparxell, said: "This European Innovation Council funding is transformative for Sparxell, allowing us to accelerate our manufacturing scale-up and overcome key technical challenges much earlier in our development pathway.
"With our plant-based technology, we're offering industries a fundamentally different approach to colour that works with nature rather than against it while meeting the highest performance standards."
Since ‘spinning out’ of the University of Cambridge in 2023, Sparxell has been gaining momentum following 25 funded pilots with global brands, its acceptance into LVMH’s ‘La Maison des Startups’ accelerator, and commercial demand across the fashion, cosmetics and packaging industries.
Sparxell believes its biodegradable pigments deliver colourant results that outperform synthetic alternatives, without fossil-based chemicals.
In fashion, the technology significantly reduces energy and water consumption compared to conventional textile dyeing and printing.
