Collaborative Fund
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Matereal Inc. Raises $4.5M Seed Round, To Lead the Fight Against Toxic Plastics
Matereal, a pioneering plastic replacements technology, proudly announces the successful closure of its $4.5 million seed funding round, led by the Collaborative Fund. This key investment propels Matereal into its next stage of development to bring a new environmentally safe plastic to market. The funds will support the company on its mission to decarbonize and detoxify the chemical plastic supply chain.
The technology powering Matereal’s transformative agenda is the commercialization of its groundbreaking chemical platform, Polaris™. This innovative non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) is a monumental breakthrough, offering a sustainable and safe alternative to traditional polyurethane—a historically challenging plastic to decarbonize. Nearly every product sold to consumers contains polyurethane, from fashion to paints, but it is not a renewable resource and has limited, to no, end-of-life options. With the global polyurethane market reaching nearly $90 billion annually, the need to address its carbon-intensive and toxic nature is paramount, and Matereal is on a path to replace it.
Anthro Closes $20M Series A Financing and Completes UN 38.3 Battery Certification
Anthro Energy announced two major milestones: the closing of an over-subscribed $20M Series A financing round and completion of UN 38.3 battery certification, a key global safety standard for lithium battery transport. Collaborative Fund led the financing, with significant participation from existing investors including Union Square Ventures, Emerson Collective, and Voyager Ventures. Energy Revolution Ventures, Ultratech Capital Partners, Nor’easter Ventures, and Overlap Holdings also participated in the round. The funds will be used to build a Bay Area-based pilot production facility to commercialize and scale Anthro’s advanced battery technologies.
Anthro’s key innovation is its advanced non-volatile and mechanically tunable polymer electrolyte. The company’s proprietary polymer replaces the highly flammable liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion batteries. “Our polymer electrolyte provides an unprecedented combination of performance, safety, and mechanical integrity,” said Anthro CTO Joe Papp, Ph.D. “By replacing conventional liquid electrolytes with our polymer, we can enable new battery form factors and battery chemistries that can facilitate broader electrification efforts across our economy.”