Seprify Raises €13.4M Series A to Scale Cellulose-Based Materials With IKEA Backing

The Cyphochilus beetle doesn't know it's been funding a startup, but the ultra-thin white structure on its scales is now the architectural blueprint behind a €13.4 million Series A. Seprify, a biomaterials spin-out from the University of Cambridge and the University of Fribourg headquartered at the Marly Innovation Center in Fribourg, Switzerland, closed the round in mid-March 2026 with backing from Inter IKEA Group, Una Terra Early Growth Fund, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Kickfund, and a cluster of additional circular-economy-aligned investors.

The raise is specifically structured to pull Seprify's cellulose platform out of pilot validation and into procurement-ready industrial supply, which in plain terms means moving from interesting lab material to something brands can actually order at scale. Founded in 2022, the company works with cellulose, the earth's most abundant biopolymer, transforming it into functional ingredients that can replace titanium dioxide and fossil-derived polymers across multiple industries without the associated emissions or biodegradability problems.

Its two commercial products are the most concrete proof of concept. SilvaAlba is a food-grade whitening solution positioned as a direct alternative to conventional TiO₂, which Seprify estimates it can undercut on carbon by up to 80% in CO₂ emissions. SilvaLuma is a cellulose-based SPF booster for cosmetics and personal care, already moving through European distribution via a partnership with Germany's Grolman Group. The target markets extend well beyond beauty and food: coatings, inks, and printed electronics are all on the roadmap as higher-volume scaling opportunities.

CEO and co-founder Lukas Schertel put the capital's immediate purpose in operational terms: "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."

Inter IKEA Group's presence in the cap table is worth noting specifically. The parent company of the IKEA franchise system has been methodical about its materials investments, and a stake in cellulose-based functional ingredients signals interest that runs deeper than sustainability optics. For a company whose product portfolio spans everything from food services to coatings, the potential applications of Seprify's platform are not narrow.

The broader context is a regulatory and market environment that has been steadily hostile to titanium dioxide. The EU restricted TiO₂ as a food additive under E171 in 2022, and pressure on its use in cosmetics formulations has continued to build. Seprify is not the only company working in this space, but the beetle-derived design logic and the Series A infrastructure now in place position it to compete for the supply contracts that larger brands will need to sign as substitution becomes less optional.