Uncaged Innovations, a New York-based biomaterials startup focused on sustainable leather alternatives, raised $2M in Pre-Seed funding.
The round saw participation from InMotion Ventures, JLR’s investment arm. Other participants included VegInvest, Stray Dog Capital, Alwyn Capital, Hack Capital, and GlassWalls Syndicate.
The company intends to use the funds to launch its vegan leather, a sustainable alternative to traditional animal products that do not compromise on luxury feel or durability.
Led by CEO Stephanie Downs, Uncaged is a biomaterials startup developing a platform of biomimetic substitutes for animal hides, which seeks to redefine the use of leather in consumer goods while mitigating an industry based on environmentally harmful practices. The company has developed a formulation library for producing biomimetic leather alternatives based on composite plant-based proteins and polypeptides. By leveraging grain proteins as the fundamental matrix and incorporating other natural components, its bioleather mimics the fibril structure of collagen to provide the performance of animal leather. The company’s platform offers the tunability to generate materials exhibiting various mechanical and aesthetic properties, fitting for multiple end-use applications.
FinSMEs