MATERIALS innovation company Xampla has been named in the Sunday Times 100 Tech ‘Ones to Watch’ feature.
The recognition celebrates Britain’s fastest-growing private technology companies, with Cambridge-based Xampla representing one of eight companies founded or led by women.
Xampla’s ‘world-first’ technology helps unlocks the power of plant polymers to create natural materials. It offers a range of applications, including replacing plastic films, microencapsulates, and coatings.
Grounded in 15 years of protein research at the University of Cambridge, Xampla’s technology is made from natural plant polymers without any chemical modification.
The firm’s Morro materials are fully biodegradable with high-strength barrier properties and are compliant with new plastic-free regulations. It has been designed to drop in to existing manufacturing processes, making it simple for businesses to switch.
Xampla’s inclusion in The Sunday Times 100 Tech comes at a time of significant growth for the company. Since announcing its first technology licensing agreement of Morro with the 2M Group of Companies in late 2023, the organisation has scaled up the production and distribution of Morro Coating, described as a natural alternative to plastic barrier coatings.
The PFAS-free material is said to ensure paper packaging is fit-for-purpose whilst also being fully biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable.
Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, said, “We are honoured to be recognised in The Sunday Times 100 Tech ‘Ones to Watch’ feature. We’ve experienced remarkable growth in the last 24 months, scaling our operations significantly through strategic commercial contracts and partnerships, including our first licensing agreement with the 2M Group, and subsequent partnerships with Huhtamaki and Transcend Packaging.
“Our ability to rapidly expand production and distribution of Morro materials has far exceeded expectations, and we look forward to driving real change in the industry and this momentum continues. This achievement is testament to the dedication and expertise of our team, and our innovative and scalable approach to solving the world’s pressing challenges. Being featured alongside other inspiring, female-led companies is a privilege, and we are excited to continue driving the UK’s technology sector forward.”
