Participated · Seed · Nov 2023

TômTex is a New York-based sustainable biomaterial producer that makes biodegradable textiles from chitosan, a biopolymer sourced from seafood shells and mushrooms. Its material has been used by designers and brands including Peter Do, Di Petsa, Dauphinette and Maitrepierre at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. The textile can be custom-moulded, stamped, 3D-printed or embossed in animal leather-style patterns. The company recently achieved a production milestone of 100 linear feet in its initial run and plans to scale to larger-scale production. Founder Uyen Tran said the $2.25M seed will fund team growth, key hires and expanded manufacturing and help secure new contracts and revenue. With this round TômTex has raised $4.15M to date, including a prior $1.9M round. Investors including Happiness Capital, SOSV, Parley for the Oceans, MIH Capital and Earth Venture Capital have expressed support for the company's technology and environmental potential. TômTex produces a biodegradable leather alternative made from chitosan derived from shell seafood and mushroom waste. The material is designed to mimic leather’s look and feel while avoiding petrochemical "vegan leather" and reducing environmental harm. The company is targeting the $400 billion global leather market and is initially focusing on luxury leather goods, developing partnerships with large brands and designers in New York City. TômTex plans to expand beyond luxury goods into apparel and accessories and later into consumer electronics and automotive interior applications as it advances material properties. The startup will use its $1.7M pre-seed funding to bring the product to market and to grow its team beyond the three founders, hiring business development, technical staff, a senior scientist, and marketing/communications. Headquartered in New York City, TômTex emphasizes circularity by using waste-derived feedstocks and water- or ethanol-based processing to avoid harsh chemistries and improve biodegradability.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2022

Modern Synthesis develops nanocellulose-based materials and textiles that are ultimately biodegradable and can be textured or formed to mimic leather or spread into thin, wind-resistant films. The company buys nanocellulose from existing producers and processes it into a range of materials, allowing manipulation not possible with simple plant fibers. In 2023 it produced an artificial leather for Danish fashion brand Ganni, which used the material in a handbag containing no petrochemicals. The startup emphasizes that its cellulosic materials decompose into matter similar to that found on a forest floor and do not melt like petrochemical synthetics, making applications such as car dashboards plausible. Founders Jen Keane (CEO) and Ben Reeve (CTO) are working to quintuple production at the pilot plant. The company is also exploring future uses including smart textiles with embedded electronics as well as conventional apparel and interior applications. Modern Synthesis develops a microbial textile platform that leverages bacteria to transform agricultural-waste sugars into nanocellulose, a biodegradable material. Its “microbial weaving” process uses robotics to place scaffolds around which genetically modified bacteria grow materials in roughly 10 to 14 days. The approach lets the company shape pieces during growth (similar to 3D printing), eliminating scraps and enabling customizable biomaterials; it has built a shoe upper and delivered materials to a “key sportswear customer” for prototyping. The startup aims to displace animal- and petrochemical-derived leathers, textiles, and films and to create a new class of sustainable materials. Most of the seed capital will fund a London pilot facility (lab, sampling and pilot production) targeted to be operational by Q3 2022, and to expand the team and R&D capacity.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2022

AIR COMPANY develops a modular, energy-efficient AIRMADE™ platform that transforms captured CO₂ and hydrogen into high-demand synthetic fuels and chemicals. The company is focused on scalable sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that integrates into existing aircraft and infrastructure. Its technology is designed to strengthen fuel supply chains, bolster energy security, and support domestic job creation. AIR COMPANY has validated its approach through commercial partnerships with airlines including JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic and through multiple government contracts, including with NASA and the Defense Innovation Unit. The company has received industry recognition such as the EPA Green Chemistry Challenge Award and the XPrize for Carbon Removal. New Series B capital will bolster engineering and R&D to accelerate large-scale production of CO₂-derived SAF. Air Company makes vodka, hand sanitizer and eau de parfum from CO2 using a process that converts carbon dioxide, water and solar energy into pure ethanol. The company sells consumer products direct and through distribution partners, and reports its vodka is frequently sold out. Air Company operates its own facilities (not contract manufacturers) to limit transportation emissions and runs them on renewable power, though current volumes are relatively low versus traditional manufacturers. Leadership says the firm intends to transition its technology into industrial sectors to scale impact and displace fossil carbon. The company plans to use new capital to build a third facility housing a commercial-scale carbon utilization system to exponentially increase CO2-derived ethanol and sustainable fuel production. Air Company debuted its CO2-made alcoholic beverage in 2019 and positions itself as a carbon technology company focused on carbon-negative alcohols.