Deep Tech Investment: Earth VC Backs Cambrium to Scale Sustainable Biomaterials
- Phuong Ha
- Nov 6, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 15
Earth Venture Capital invests in Cambrium, a Berlin-based startup, to accelerate the development of sustainable biomaterials, building "materials that matter".
Earth Venture Capital (Earth VC), a Vietnam-based climate-focused venture capital firm, has announced a new deep tech investment in Cambrium, a Berlin-based startup pioneering sustainable biomaterials. The funding, part of Cambrium’s Seed extension round led by Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI-focused venture fund), reinforces Earth VC’s mission to support transformative technologies tackling climate challenges.
Why We Invest: Catalyzing the Biomaterials Movement
Cambrium is reimagining material production by using proteins as building blocks for a sustainable future. Through a fusion of biotechnology and generative AI, the company develops biodegradable, sustainable alternatives to conventional petrochemical-based materials.
Earth VC’s focus on deep tech investment aligns perfectly with Cambrium’s vision of building materials “from Microbes not Mines, Fermentors not Factory-farms, and Proteins not Petrochemicals.”
Sustainable Products with Market Impact
Cambrium is already developing products that address rising consumer demand and regulatory shifts:
NovaColl™: A precision-fermented, skin-identical collagen for personal care, launching in September 2024.
Plastic-free leather alternatives: Developed with a leading synthetic leather producer, with launch expected in 2025.
New biomaterials in hair care, fashion coatings, and nutraceuticals, projected for release within the next 2–3 years.
With the biomaterials market valued at $82 billion in 2023 and projected to grow at 13.4% annually by 2030, Cambrium is positioned to capture significant value.
Cambrium’s Notable Achievements
Since its founding in 2020, Cambrium has scaled rapidly:
Raised EUR 3M in pre-seed and EUR 8M in seed funding before this extension round.
Recognized as one of Berlin’s Top 10 startups and one of Europe’s Top 100 hottest startups by WIRED.
Developed NovaColl™, its flagship product, to disrupt the collagen industry with sustainable innovation.
We're very excited to have Earth VC onboard. This aligns with our strategic goals of expanding our customer base within Southeast Asia and the Earth VC team has directly supported our goal to make materials that matter. - Mitchell Duffy, Co-founder & CEO of Cambrium.
The Team Behind the Innovation
Cambrium’s founders bring world-class expertise in biotech and material sciences:
Mitchell Duffy, CEO – PhD in Molecular Imaging, with extensive experience in synthetic biology.
Charles Cotton, Co-founder – PhD in Structural Biology, specializing in protein design.
They are supported by advisors with backgrounds at Impossible Foods and Checkerspot, giving Cambrium deep expertise in scaling biotech innovations.
Earth VC’s Biomaterials Deep Tech Investment Vision
For Earth VC, this biomaterials deep tech investment in Cambrium is a strategic step in reducing the environmental footprint of global material production.
Investing in Cambrium is a direct bet on the future of sustainable materials, a market projected to hit $138 billion by 2030. With traditional materials responsible for 23% of global emissions, the urgency to disrupt this space is undeniable. Cambrium’s protein-based innovations are the game-changer we need to decarbonize industries at scale. It’s not every day you see a company building proteins from 900 million structures and 100 design metrics—this is the kind of bold innovation that Earth VC stands behind. - Tien Nguyen, Founding Partner at Earth VC.
The sustainable materials market is projected to reach $138 billion by 2030. With bold innovation, Cambrium is well-positioned to lead that transformation.
Cambrium’s Next Chapter
The funds raised will enable Cambrium to:
Expand production capabilities through Contract Manufacturers (CMOs)
Extend product development into fashion, nutraceuticals, and personal care
Strengthen partnerships for global commercialization
As Cambrium scales, Earth VC will support its expansion across Asia and other international markets, underscoring its commitment to deep tech investment that drives systemic change.
Building the Next Biomaterials Breakthrough?
We’re proud to back innovators like Cambrium who are reshaping industries with climate deep tech solutions. If you’re a founder tackling the toughest challenges in sustainability, we’d love to hear from you.
👉 Pitch to us and explore how Earth VC can help you scale.
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