Nature Coatings Secures $2.45 Million in Funding Led by Regeneration.VC and The 22 Fund

Key Takeaways: 

• Nature Coatings secures $2.45 million in funding, led by Regeneration.VC and The 22 Fund, with participation from Leonardo DiCaprio, Safer Made, and Portfolia.
• BioBlack TX, Nature Coatings’ certified 100% bio-based, high-performing and carbon-negative alternative to petroleum-based carbon black, gains global recognition and adoption by fashion brands including those within the global luxury group Kering and Levi’s.
• The funding enables Nature Coatings to expand manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the senior team, and establish a global distribution network for BioBlack TX.

Nature Coatings, a leading biochemicals company transforming waste materials into bio-based, safe, and renewable solutions, is proud to announce the successful completion of an oversubscribed $2.45 million Seed funding round. The investment round was led by Regeneration.VC and The 22 Fund, with participation from actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, Safer Made, and Portfolia.

This significant investment follows the highly successful launch of Nature Coatings’ flagship product, BioBlack TX, their carbon-negative and high-performing alternative to polluting and toxic petroleum-derived carbon black. This groundbreaking dispersion is entirely bio-based, boasting a unique black pigment sourced from FSC certified wood waste. It has garnered worldwide acclaim and has been embraced by renowned fashion brands like the Kering Group, Levi’s, Bestseller’s Jack & Jones and Selected HOMME, as well as Vollebak.

Founder and CEO of Nature Coatings, Jane Palmer, a veteran in the pigment and dyes industry with over two decades of experience, expressed her motivation behind the company’s vision, stating, “Working in the pigment and dyes industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen the negative impact it has had on our environment and health. This inspired me to find a way to develop something better, something that is safe enough to be buried in my vegetable garden. At Nature Coatings, our vision is to create a future where the chemical industry operates in harmony with nature, and this new investment will take us closer to our goal.”

Regeneration.VC and The 22 Fund, leading investment firms in the field, spearheaded the financing of Nature Coatings. Regeneration.VC specializes in supporting forward-thinking businesses that offer innovative alternatives to reduce environmental impact, while The 22 Fund focuses on investing in high-potential women and BIPOC-owned cleantech-based manufacturing and exporting companies.

Dan Fishman, General Partner at Regeneration.VC expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “As a Consumer ClimateTech fund focusing on the reimagination of consumer industries, we have been searching high and low for a drop-in replacement to petroleum-based carbon black that is 100% bio-based and at price parity. Jane and the Nature Coatings team are reshaping the chemical industry and we are excited to support their journey.” 

Tracy Gray from The 22 Fund adds, “We invest in cleantech manufacturing companies and intentionally include female led firms to deliver both high return on investment and create clean, quality jobs in low & moderate income communities. We are excited to utilize our network and expertise to support Jane Palmer and be a part of the next growth phase of Nature Coatings.”

“Nature Coatings offers a bio-based, long term solution that can be translated across many industries contributing to the mission for a cleaner, more sustainable environment,” said Leonardo DiCaprio. “I am excited to join as an investor and support the company’s growth that will enable brands to adopt safer practices, while also educating the consumer on more sustainable products.”

This recent investment will enable Nature Coatings to expedite the adoption of BioBlack TX by expanding manufacturing capabilities, strengthening the senior team, and establishing a global distribution network.

Since its inception in 2017, Nature Coatings has been at the forefront of innovation with BioBlack TX. This solution not only benefits the planet by being free of fossil fuels and sequestering more carbon dioxide than it emits, but it also prioritizes the health and well-being of individuals by containing non-detected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carcinogens, and having less than 0.1% of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). With its cost-competitiveness and superior performance, BioBlack TX aids companies in their decarbonization efforts and compliance with impending regulations like MRSLs (Manufacturing Restricted Substance Lists). In addition to the textile industry, BioBlack TX can be applied in various other sectors, including paint, automotive, package printing, and more.

Previous investors that supported Nature Coatings are Fashion for Good, Apex Black Ltd, BESTSELLER’s HEARTLANDS A/S, Textile Innovation Fund and Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) Impact Fund.

About Nature Coatings

Nature Coatings is a pioneering startup revolutionizing the chemical industry with bio-based, safe and renewable solutions created from waste materials. Our flagship product, BioBlack TX, is a carbon-negative and high-performing alternative to polluting and toxic petroleum-derived carbon black. BioBlack TX contains non-detected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carcinogens, and is cost-competitive, aiding decarbonization efforts and staying ahead of regulations. Certified by FSC®, OEKO-TEX®, USDA BioPreferred, and listed on ZDHC Gateway 3.0, BioBlack TX ensures sustainability and responsible sourcing.

 About Regeneration.VC

Regeneration.VC is an early-stage venture fund Supercharging Consumer-Powered Climate Innovation driven by circular and regenerative principles. We invest in Consumer ClimateTech companies that generate outsized economic and environmental outcomes across three strategies: Design (AgTech & Aquaculture and Next-Gen Materials), Use(Apparel & Lifestyle and Food & Beverage brands), and Reuse (Recommerce and Reverse Logistics system technologies).

About The 22 Fund

The 22 Fund is a holistic impact investor that funds tech-based, clean/climate tech and sustainable U.S. manufacturing companies to increase international sales (exports) and create the clean, quality jobs of the future in underserved and low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. The 22 intentionally invests in women- and BIPOC-led firms to deliver both high ROI and high social/economic impact without concession or trade-offs.

Source

Regeneration.VC, press release, 2023-08-10.

Supplier

Nature Coatings
Regeneration.VC
The 22 Fund

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