Impossible Materials raises CHF 3.4 million to develop titanium dioxide alternative

The Fribourg-based startup Impossible Materials, a spin-out of the University of Cambridge and the University of Fribourg founded in 2022, creates plant-based ingredients for a broad range of industrially manufactured products that allow for more sustainable product formulations.

The startup's first product is a cellulose-based white pigment that addresses a need created by the recent EU-wide ban on titanium dioxide (TiO2), a common white pigment found in a wide variety of products, as well as the food additive E171 that contains nanoparticles of TiO2, because of the potential health impact of long-term accumulation of TiO2 in the body. The ban has affected health-sensitive industries, creating a need for a sustainable alternative. The environmental impact of titanium mining is another relevant consideration.

Impossible Materials' product mimics the structure of the bright white Cyphochilus beetle's exoskeletal scales with cellulose, creating a safer and better-performing white pigment. The startup is led by CEO Lukas Schertel and CBO Oliver Polcher, combining a proven record in technical and business leadership with the experience of cellulose expert and CTO Wadood Hamad and scientific advisor Prof. Dr. Silvia Vignolini.

The startup now announced that it secured CHF 3.4 million in a seed round led by Mission Possible Capital, a new Swiss venture capital fund with founding partners who previously co-founded Zattoo, Cash.ch, Flisom, and Redalpine Venture Partners. Co-investors included Inter IKEA Group, Cambridge Enterprise, Capital Risque Fribourg, Big Idea Ventures, EFI Lake Geneva Ventures, Apprecia Capital, and several experienced Swiss angel investors.

The funding will be used to construct a pilot facility in Marly, Switzerland, expand the team, and work toward market entry in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors.

"We are thrilled to have secured this seed funding, which will enable us to take our technology to the next level," says Lukas Schertel, CEO of Impossible Materials. "Our platform technology is ready for the next step towards mass-production. I am grateful to work every day with such an experienced team that allows attracting highly qualified co-workers. We are confident that our technology will play a leading role in engineering high-value plant-based formulation ingredients that can have a positive impact on the environment and society."

The Board of Directors will be joined by Nicolas Berg, Founding Partner at Mission Possible. "Mission Possible is excited to support this complementary team of founders with a proven track record in cellulose science, scale up, and business development," Berg has stated. "We had monitored their progress as a jury member in the Venture Kick accelerator process, and we were impressed by the pipeline of corporates for partnership opportunities. The USD 30 billion pigment market needs a rapid substitution due to regulatory pressure and consumer demand, making Impossible Materials poised for success."

The startup was awarded CHF 50,000 by Venture Kick in 2022. In February, it was announced that the startup was also selected for the Innobooster program, which supports university-based, high-potential business cases from the Venture Kick program with a CHF 150,000 award provided by the Gebert Rüf Stiftung.