The new company Kelpi has secured £4.35 million in funding to launch its seaweed-based biomaterial technology. Kelpi was founded by Professor Chris Chuck from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering.
He plans to use the investment to fund manufacturing pilots and gain regulatory approval for the proprietary coating of paper and card.
Kelpi claims that its biomaterial can exceed plastic properties due to its strong water barrier, which provides resistance to greasy and acidic contents. It also uses renewable feedstocks and offers positive environmental gains, as seaweed absorbs significant amounts of carbon dioxide as it grows.
Founder Chuck has paid tribute to the university for its support: “It has been fantastic to be able to leverage the university’s capability in sustainable technology research, and with support in those early months, develop an idea all the way through to creating genuinely novel materials at scale. The materials themselves not only have advanced functionality but will readily biodegrade if released into the environment.”
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