SPARXELL, the Cambridge-based pioneer of plant-based colourant technology, has secured a €1.9 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC), priming the business for ‘exponential growth’.
The funding recognises Sparxell’s ‘breakthrough’ technology as part of the Council’s mission to identify, develop, and scale up disruptive innovations that address global challenges.
Sparxell’s biodegradable pigments deliver colourant results that are said to ‘outperform’ synthetic alternatives, without fossil-based chemicals.
Since spinning out of the University of Cambridge in 2023, Sparxell has gained commercial validation through over 25 fully funded pilot projects with global brands across diverse industrial sectors.
The company is now approaching its first million in sales and is scaling to tonne-level production in 2025, in preparation for its first commercial launch with leading brands and manufacturers.
Since joining LVMH’s La Maison des Startups accelerator programme, Sparxell has established itself in the luxury market, connecting with brands including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Loewe.
Dr. Benjamin Droguet, founder and CEO of Sparxell, said, “This European Innovation Council funding is transformative for Sparxell, allowing us to accelerate our manufacturing scale-up and overcome key technical challenges much earlier in our development pathway. With our plant-based technology, we’re offering industries a fundamentally different approach to colour that works with nature rather than against it while meeting the highest performance standards.”
Sparxell’s proprietary technology transforms cellulose from materials such as wood pulp and agricultural waste into vibrant colour solutions, while being non-toxic and biodegradable.
In fashion, the technology reduces energy and water consumption compared to conventional textile dyeing and printing. It also eliminates toxicity in human-contact applications such as cosmetics and food applications, while enabling large-scale recycling and circularity across industries, such as packaging and paint.
Sparxell is planning further expansion of its facilities this year, aiming to double production capacity and establish production laboratories.
