In California, mushroom-based materials firm MycoWorks has added GM Ventures, the investment arm of General Motors Co., as an investor and strategic partner. The two are jointly developing Fine Mycelium™ materials for potential use in a range of applications within automotive design, including interior elements.
MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium technology uses mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, to craft a range of natural, customizable leather alternatives that match the performance of animal leather with lower environmental impact. The materials support GM’s progress toward its vision of a world with “zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.”
MycoWorks raised $125 million in a Series C funding round earlier this year and broke ground on its first full-scale production facility in August.