Inspired by the Cyphochilus beetle, Seprify raises €13.4 million to develop cellulose-based industrial ingredients

Seprify, a Fribourg-based biomaterials company developing high-performance cellulose-based ingredients for industrial applications, today announced that it has raised €13.4 million (CHF 12.25 million) in Series A funding. 

Supported by this funding, the company has also announced the transition of its cellulose platform from pilot validation into procurement-ready industrial supply. This enables manufacturers to move from trials into repeatable sourcing and longer-term commercial agreements.

The round was supported by a combination of strategic and financial investors with experience in industrial scale-up. It includes participation from Inter IKEA Group, along with investors Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund, and other investors aligned with the circular economy.

“This funding enables us to focus on execution and scale. Our immediate priority is delivering consistent quality and reliable supply, meeting the operational standards large industrial customers require. In the near term, that means supporting cosmetics and personal care, including suncare, as well as food and pet food. We are also scaling for higher-volume applications such as coatings, inks and printed electronics, reflecting the broader potential of our cellulose platform,” said Lukas Schertel, co-founder and CEO of Seprify. 

Founded in 2022 as a spin-out of the University of Cambridge and the University of Fribourg, Seprify transform cellulose, the earth’s most abundant biopolymer, into a high-performance, plant-based functional ingredient. 

Its nature-inspired technology offers safe, biodegradable substitutes for traditional whiteners and texturisers, allowing brands to lessen dependence on titanium dioxide and fossil-derived polymers without compromising performance. 

According to the company, its material design has been inspired by the ultra-thin, brilliant white structure found in the scales of the Cyphochilus beetle.

The company’s flagship product grades include SilvaLuma, a cellulose-based SPF booster for cosmetics and personal care, and SilvaAlba, a food-grade whitening solution designed as a scalable alternative to titanium dioxide.

Seprify notes that its cellulose platform is supported by Inter IKEA Group and has been validated at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7–9 through hands-on collaboration with industry partners and is now progressing through supplier qualification processes, early commercial contracts and procurement discussions across cosmetics and personal care, food and pet food, and coatings. 

The company is presently working with over 100 customer organisations, ranging from active evaluations to early commercial supply.

Robert Carleke, Innovation Ventures Manager at Inter IKEA Group, commented, “At IKEA, we look for solutions that can realistically replace high-impact incumbent materials while fitting into existing manufacturing and recycling systems. Seprify’s cellulose platform has reached a level of maturity that makes this a credible path to explore — not only for specific applications such as coatings and surface finishes, but as a scalable materials platform with the consistency and operational readiness required for industrial use. We’re looking forward to this exploratory project.”

With the new capital, the Swiss company intends to expand commercial production to hundreds of tonnes annually through established manufacturing partners, support commercial rollout across its key markets, and advance engineering work for future industrial-scale capacity. For customers, this transition allows moving from evaluation and trials to consistent supply, facilitating formal procurement discussions and long-term sourcing decisions.

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