Seprify, the Marly-based biomaterials company, has raised EUR 13.4 million in Series A funding to support the scale-up of its cellulose-based alternatives to titanium dioxide for the cosmetic and food industries.
Its cellulose materials replace titanium oxide, a whitening agent banned by the EU since 2022. The company’s material has now transitioned from pilot validation into procurement-ready industrial supply,
Investors in the round include Inter Ikea Group, Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund, and others aligned with the circular economy.
Formerly called Impossible Materials, Seprify was founded by Lukas Schertel and Oliver Polcher as a spinout from the University of Cambridge and the University of Fribourg in 2022.
It leverages cellulose to create sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to conventional whiteners and texturisers, enabling manufacturers to transition away from titanium dioxide and fossil-based polymers.
Seprify sources its cellulose from industrial sidestreams, pulps, agrofibres, and recycled products, which undergoes a unique extraction, separation and purification process.
It takes inspiration from the Cyphochilus beetle, specifically the thin layer of scales on its exoskeleton, which scatters all wavelengths of light to make the insect shine a bright white. These non-uniform scales are made up of a rough, porous structure, which enables light to bounce and reflect. Seprify tunes the size of its cellulose-based microparticles to optimise scattering.
For the personal care industry, Seprify makes SilvaLuma, an SPF booster that replicates titanium dioxide’s UV filtering properties.
Sustainable Cosmetics Summit
Details will be given of new and emerging sustainable materials for cosmetic formulations and packaging at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit. The North American edition will be hosted in New York on 21-22 May, Latin American edition in Sao Paulo on 6-7 July, whilst the European edition will be hosted in Paris on 27-28 October. More information is available from the website
