Swedish-based Adsorbi bags €360K to develop air purifier made from bio-based materials

Gothenburg-based Adsorbi, a startup that is developing bio-based materials for air pollutant and odour removal, announced on Monday that it has secured €360K in a seed round of funding from Metsä Spring, Chalmers Ventures, and Jovitech Invest.

The company says the funding will be used to further research product applications, focus on product development and field testing with air filter companies, and expand sales efforts in the odour removal and art conservation sectors. 

“We want to thank Chalmers Ventures for their continued support of our mission, as well as warmly welcome new investors Metsä Spring and Jovitech Invest. Now we have a dream team of investors who understand deep tech, material startups, as well as novel usage cases for cellulose,”  says Hanna Johansson, co-founder and CEO of Adsorbi.

“Our patented material can be used wherever air pollutants are a problem – in air filters, products that remove bad odours, and in museums to protect works of art. This means we can tackle several significant markets with one unique material,” adds Johansson. 

Adsorbi: Air pollutant and odour removal

Adsorbi was founded as a spinout from Chalmers University of Technology based in Gothenburg by a team of university researchers and seasoned business developers in 2022.

Adsorbi’s core technology involves utilising wood-based cellulose, a renewable resource, to create a material that can capture and store air pollutants and odours effectively. 

Unlike traditional methods such as activated carbon, Adsorbi’s material doesn’t release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) back into the air. It makes it a more environmentally friendly and sustainable solution for air purification.

The startup’s material has a wide range of applications, including air filters for pollution removal, products that combat bad odours, and even preservation of artwork in museums. 

One significant market where Adsorbi’s material can make an impact is in the odour removal industry for items like shoes, bags, and cars, enhancing hygiene and extending the lifespan of these products.

The fact that Adsorbi’s material is made from sustainably harvested wood and has a low environmental impact aligns well with the goals of investors like Metsä Spring, which aims to support innovations that replace fossil-based materials with sustainable alternatives.

The Investor

Metsä Spring was established in 2018 as Metsä Group’s innovation company. 

Metsä Spring invests in and supports potential sustainable innovations and technologies that find new purposes and higher value for Nordic wood to replace fossil-based materials and chemicals in everyday products. 

Adsorbi marks Metsä Spring’s first Swedish startup investment and will be an addition to its wood-based innovation portfolio, already consisting of four other external investments and two internal development projects. 

“We are very excited to invest in Adsorbi, which has a diverse and solid research background and business-minded founding team. It is also working on a product made out of pulp, which makes Adsorbi of particular interest for Metsä Group. With Adsorbi in our portfolio, we are yet another step closer to removing fossil-based materials from everyday products”, says Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring.