Planet Smart Raises $1M To Replace Plastics In Nappies And Sanitary Products

The round was led by General Inception and Vertical Venture Partners, with backing from Innovate UK and the Undaunted Accelerator, marking the company’s official launch following two years of scientific development.

Planet Smart is a London-based deep tech startup creating sustainable biomaterials to reduce environmental impact. Its flagship product, PlanetSorb, is a high-performance, naturally biodegradable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) designed to replace fossil-based plastics in nappies, sanitary products, agriculture, packaging and mining waste management.

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PlanetSorb biodegrades within six months without leaving microplastics and absorbs over 1 litre of liquid per gram up to twice the capacity of conventional SAPs allowing manufacturers to use less material for thinner, more comfortable products.

The technology, based on poly-amino acids, naturally degrades in soil or landfill, offering a scalable solution to growing regulatory and environmental pressures in the hygiene industry.

Planet Smart has signed letters of intent with major hygiene manufacturers and secured purchase orders from European brands. Lab testing shows PlanetSorb is non-toxic, dermatologist-approved, and highly effective in absorbency and retention. Beyond hygiene, it has potential applications in agriculture, wound care, food packaging and mining waste management.

With new funding, Planet Smart will scale lab operations, run pilot trials, and aims to reach a production capacity of 1 kilotonne equivalent to 45 million nappies by 2028, with plans to raise additional funding in 2026 for manufacturing expansion and global licensing partnerships.

About Planet Smart

Planet Smart, founded in 2023 is a chemical R&D and manufacturing startup developing bio-based, fully biodegradable polymers that break down without releasing microplastics. Focused on sustainable innovation, the company creates high-performance materials starting with its PlanetSorb absorbent to help industries transition to cleaner, smarter biomaterial solutions for a better planet.