£1.5m pre-seed funds biodegradable SAPs to cut microplastic in nappies and soil
This article covers A&B Smart Materials, a greentech startup that has closed a £1.5m pre-seed round to develop a biodegradable alternative to conventional superabsorbent polymers used in hygiene products and agriculture. The development aims to deliver a biobased, biodegradable SAP compatible with existing manufacturing processes, supporting hygiene brands, agricultural suppliers and chemical manufacturers responding to regulatory and commercial pressure.
A&B Smart Materials, a greentech startup based at the University of Oxford, has closed a £1.5 million pre-seed round to develop a biodegradable alternative to conventional superabsorbent polymers used in hygiene products and agriculture. The raise comes as regulators and brands push for replacements to persistent, fossil-derived SAPs, and the company says it already has letters of intent and active technical engagements with major chemical manufacturers and hygiene firms.
Why it matters
Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are a foundational material in diapers, incontinence products and menstrual pads, and they are also used as soil conditioners in agriculture. Today’s mainstream SAPs are largely fossil-based and non-biodegradable, contributing to persistent microplastic pollution in soils and waterways.
The market is sizable and growing: the global SAP market is currently about $9 billion in annual sales and is forecast to reach $17 billion by 2035. Policy shifts are sharpening demand for alternatives — the EU plans to ban non-biodegradable SAPs in fertilising products from 2028 — while consumer and corporate ESG pressures are increasing scrutiny on the hygiene value chain.
A biodegradable, cost-competitive SAP that works with existing industrial processes would therefore solve an environmental problem and meet clear regulatory and commercial pull.
Inside the product
A&B Smart Materials is building a fully biodegradable, biobased SAP platform designed to match the absorbency and locking performance of incumbent SAPs while remaining compatible with current manufacturing lines. The company says the technology is progressing toward commercial performance and pricing benchmarks.
Its stated development priorities align with what large buyers typically demand:
- Laboratory R&D to optimise polymer chemistry, absorbency and mechanical properties while reducing cost through formulation and process innovation.
- Scale-up and industrial validation to move from gram-scale testing to kilogram- and pilot-scale production suitable for trials in hygiene and agricultural manufacturing.
- Commercial development to advance co-development agreements, licensing pathways and partnerships with established chemical producers and end users.
A&B reports multiple large chemical manufacturers, hygiene brands and agricultural players are conducting tests, providing feedback and defining technical requirements — signalling early validation across the value chain.
Who are the investors?
The pre-seed round was led by a mix of venture funds, university backing and angel investors. Named participants include Caesar VC, Archipelago Ventures, Living Hope VC and Triple Impact, alongside the University of Oxford through the Oxford Seed Fund. Individual backers listed in the announcement include Sake Bosch and several angels, among them the cofounder of Wayve, the autonomous driving company noted at an $8 billion valuation.
The presence of the Oxford Seed Fund provides institutional university backing and access to academic networks and facilities. The combination of thematic investors and experienced angels points to interest in both the materials transition opportunity and the team’s academic roots. According to the company, investor interest was driven by the regulatory tailwinds in Europe, the size of the incumbent SAP market and early commercial engagements with manufacturers and brands.
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Founder perspective
The founding team is drawn from research groups at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The company positions itself as moving quickly from lab validation toward industrial pilots, emphasising that matching incumbent cost and manufacturability is essential for adoption by large hygiene manufacturers and agricultural suppliers.
A&B has allocated the new capital to accelerate R&D and scale-up efforts, and to deepen commercial conversations that could lead to licensing or co-development deals ahead of pilot production.
The bigger picture
Materials substitution — replacing persistent plastics with biodegradable, biobased alternatives — is a growing focus for greentech investment in the UK and Europe. A move away from fossil-derived SAPs would touch large consumer and agricultural markets and help companies meet tightening EU rules and corporate ESG targets.
The deal illustrates how university-linked ventures can attract a mixed investor roster at pre-seed stage and how regulatory deadlines, like the EU’s 2028 restriction on non-biodegradable SAPs in fertilising products, are shaping demand-side clarity for founders and investors alike.
They've invested in A&B Smart Materials
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