Seprify Raises €13.4M To Scale Cellulose-Based Industrial Ingredients

Founded in 2022 as a spin-out of the University of Cambridge and the University of Fribourg, Seprify transforms cellulose the earth’s most abundant biopolymer into plant-based functional ingredients.

Its nature-inspired technology provides safe biodegradable alternatives to traditional whiteners and texturisers, reducing reliance on titanium dioxide and fossil-derived polymers. Flagship products include SilvaLuma™, a cellulose-based SPF booster for cosmetics and SilvaAlba™, a food-grade whitening solution.

Read Also - SignaCor Therapeutics Secures €288K Funding To Advance Heart Disease Treatment

Robert Carleke, Innovation Ventures Manager at Inter IKEA Group, commented, “At IKEA, we look for solutions that can realistically replace high-impact incumbent materials while fitting into existing manufacturing and recycling systems. Seprify’s cellulose platform has reached a level of maturity that makes this a credible path to explore not only for specific applications such as coatings and surface finishes, but as a scalable materials platform with the consistency and operational readiness required for industrial use. We’re looking forward to this exploratory project.”

The Series A round was supported by Inter IKEA Group, Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, and other investors focused on the circular economy.

The funding will accelerate transitioning Seprify’s cellulose platform from pilot validation to procurement-ready industrial supply enabling manufacturers to move from trials to repeatable sourcing and long-term commercial agreements.

Seprify has already collaborated with over 100 customer organizations, validating the platform at Technology Readiness Levels 7–9, and will use the new capital to expand commercial production to hundreds of tonnes annually, scale across key markets, and develop future industrial-scale capacity.

“This funding enables us to focus on execution and scale. Our immediate priority is delivering consistent quality and reliable supply, meeting the operational standards large industrial customers require. In the near term, that means supporting cosmetics and personal care, including suncare as well as food and pet food. We are also scaling for higher-volume applications such as coatings, inks and printed electronics, reflecting the broader potential of our cellulose platform,” said Lukas Schertel, co-founder and CEO of Seprify.

About Seprify

Seprify develops cellulose-based functional materials that help businesses create greener, sustainable product formulations. By transforming cellulose into high-performance, biodegradable alternatives for whitening, texturising, and SPF enhancement, Seprify enables industries such as cosmetics, food, pet care and coatings to reduce reliance on titanium dioxide and fossil-derived polymers.