Ponda crowdfunds $1.86M for cattail insulation materials

In the United Kingdom, Ponda, a company developing renewable insulation materials from broadleaf cattail, has raised €1.6 million (US$1.86 million) through a crowdfunding campaign, significantly exceeding its €230,000 target and attracting 256 new investors.

Ponda will use the funds to expand cultivation of broadleaf cattail on restored wetlands, with the plants helping keep carbon stored in the soil while providing a renewable feedstock for its insulation material, marketed as BioPuff. The material has attracted interest from sustainable fashion brands including Stella McCartney and Berghaus, which are exploring alternatives to conventional synthetic and animal-derived insulation materials.

The crowdfunding campaign follows a US$3.19 million grant involving Liverpool John Moores University and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to support the development of the company’s regenerative wetland farming model. “Every investment, every share and every conversation has helped strengthen our mission to restore wetlands through regenerative farming while building the next generation of natural performance materials,” Ponda told EU-Startups.

Tags: Ponda, UK

Category: Chemicals & Materials