THE WHAT? Sparxell has raised US$3.2 million in a seed round to accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable pigments. The firm hopes that its high-performance, sustainable, plant-based pigments will eliminate the use of synthetic chemicals in colorants.

THE DETAILS The Circular Innovation Fund, which boasts L’Oréal as an anchor investor, participated in the round, along with Future Communities Capital, PDS Ventures, Katapult, and Joyance Partners.

THE WHY?  Dr. Benjamin Droguet, Sparxell’s Founder & CEO, comments, ‘Traditional chemical colorants cause major environmental harm at every stage of their lifecycle, from manufacture to degradation. Over 10,000 fossil-based chemicals are used in current coloration processes. The textile industry, a well-known emitter of dyes and microplastics, contributes over 1.5 million tonnes of these pollutants to the environment every year, while paint has recently been recognized as the largest source of microplastics in the ocean.’