Solena Materials Raises $6.7M to Advance Eco-Friendly Fibre Tech
London-based biotech Solena Materials, a spinout from Imperial College London, has raised $6.7 million in seed funding to scale its AI-powered platform for designing biodegradable, protein-based fibres—offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic, petroleum-based textiles.
Led by physicist and investor Sir David Harding, along with SynBioVen and Insempra, the funding supports Solena’s expansion into pilot manufacturing at Imperial’s White City Deep Tech Campus. The company will equip its new facility with fibre spinning lines and automated bioreactors while hiring for strain development and lab operations.
Founded in 2022 by Dr. James MacDonald, Professor Paul Freemont, and Professor Milo Shaffer, Solena leverages AI and engineered microbes to produce novel protein fibres designed at the molecular level. These fibres outperform traditional materials in tensile strength, elasticity, and sustainability, with applications in fashion, sportswear, and technical textiles.
Unlike synthetic fibres that contribute to microplastic pollution and carbon emissions, Solena’s fibres are biodegradable and made using renewable feedstocks. Its proprietary deep learning platform designs entirely new protein sequences, enabling fibres that nature has never made—customized for both performance and scalability.
Early partnerships with fashion brands are underway, with first integrations expected in 2026 collections. Solena aims to enter premium markets like athleisure and medical textiles before expanding to mass-market apparel, aligning with tightening global regulations on microplastic pollution.
Solena’s work marks a paradigm shift in material design, uniting AI, biotechnology, and sustainable production to redefine how textiles are made.