Leonardo DiCaprio joins Nature Coatings seed funding

In Los Angeles, a company developing a renewable alternative to carbon black has raised $2.45 million in a seed funding that included participation from A-list actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio as well as Regeneration.VC and The 22 Fund.

Nature Coatings will use funds from the oversubscribed round to expand manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the senior team, and establish a global distribution network for BioBlack TX, the company’s flagship product. BioBlack TX is a dispersion that is entirely biobased and gains its unique black pigment from wood waste. The product has garnered early interest from several notable brands, including the Kering Group, Levi’s, Bestseller’s Jack & Jones, Selected HOMME, and Vollebak.

“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,” DiCaprio said in a press statement. “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.”