Green Angel Syndicate (GAS) – the UK’s largest network of specialist investors fighting climate change – was delighted to lead a £1.9 million funding round in startup Sphera.
“Natasha and her team really impressed our specialist Green Angel Syndicate members, right from the very first meeting” says GAS CEO Cam Ross. “The Sphera approach to decarbonising such a mainstream component of global building materials is very compelling, hence our substantial investment.”
By recycling the unrecyclable, Sphera has created a carbon negative aggregate for concrete. Their building materials are tackling the colossal carbon footprint of traditional concrete, which makes up 8% of global carbon emissions. Sphera’s products provide a solution for construction professionals aiming to reduce their environmental impact.
“I am delighted to be welcoming new members to the wider Sphera team. This investment round supports our vision to be at the global forefront of low-carbon materials innovation for the built environment,” comments Dr Natasha Boulding, Sphera CEO & Co-Founder.
The round also involves other VC groups, including Northstar Ventures and individuals with considerable experience in the construction sector. The investment round follows a successful year for Sphera, who recently became an advisory board member for the UKGBC’s Innovative Start-Up Forum.
The next step for Sphera is to launch its carbon negative lightweight concrete aggregate OSTO™ onto the market and demonstrate the material in its first construction projects. This is currently being trialled in concrete blockwork, making traditional carbon-intensive blocks carbon zero. It uses waste plastic that couldn’t otherwise be recycled – treating our waste as a solution rather than a problem.
Sphera will also accelerate its development of new products, with the continued goal of finding innovative material solutions to solve the challenges of the construction industry – with no compromise to our planet. They will announce several new collaborations over the next year. To support these goals, Sphera will be expanding its facility and its team in 2022.
