Matereal raises funds for nonisocyanate polyurethane

The sustainable polymer start-up Matereal has raised $4.5 million in seed funding to commercialize its nonisocyanate polyurethane chemistry. The round was led by the venture capital firm Collaborative Fund. Matereal says its technology uses renewable feedstocks and captured CO₂ to create low-carbon alternatives to conventional polyurethane that avoid the use of toxic isocyanate intermediates. CEO and cofounder Jacqueline Ros Amable says the finished materials are also easier to recycle than incumbent polyurethanes. The company is also developing a biodegradable version. The first launches will be textile coatings, a foothold in the $90 billion global polyurethane market.