Oxford's A&B Smart Materials raises €1.7 million to tackle microplastic pollution from diapers and sanitary products | EU-Startups

Oxford-based materials science startup A&B Smart Materials (A&B) has closed its €1.7 million (£1.5 million) “heavily oversubscribed” pre-Seed round to replace the synthetic sustainable superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) used in hygiene products and agriculture. 

The funding round’s principal investors include existing backer Sake Bosch, alongside new strategic investors, Caesar and Living Hope VC. Archipelago Ventures, Triple Impact Ventures, Cranfield University Seed Fund, Oxford Seed Fund, and several business angels from the Cambridge Capital Group and Oxford Innovation Finance also participated in this round. 

“This funding gives us the momentum to accelerate our progress, strengthen our team with exceptional talent and take the next critical steps toward delivering sustainable absorbents that will benefit millions of people in the years ahead. It marks an important milestone on our journey toward transforming an industry that urgently needs change,” said Amaury van Trappen, co-founder and CEO, A&B Smart Materials. 

Founded by Amaury van Trappen and Dr Benjamin White, A&B’s long-term goal is to replace synthetic SAP formulations in a market that’s projected to hit €14.4 billion ($17 billion) by 2035. The widely-used synthetic SAPs are non-biodegradable, petroleum-based, and accumulate in the environment as microplastics; contributing to one of the world’s most pressing pollution challenges by contaminating soils, waterways, and oceans. 

A&B develops sustainable superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), the critical materials used in disposable diapers and sanitary products to absorb liquid. SAPs are also used in agriculture to enhance soil water retention during dry spells. It claims that its plant-based SAPs are designed to break down naturally, leaving no microplastics behind.

According to the company, it combines polymer science with abundant natural feedstocks to build the technological foundation for its bio-based alternatives designed to be compatible with established industry processes. It utilises novel modified biopolymers sourced from low-cost natural materials, including materials such as cellulose and starch.

“This foundation technology already offers a competitive cost outlook, and the funding will support further optimisation of materials and manufacturing processes as it moves toward industrial scale,” the company mentioned in the press release. It is in the process of preparing its first patent filings. 

Dr Benjamin White, co-founder and CTO of A&B Smart Materials, said, “Synthetic super absorbent polymers are causing a huge problem in our modern world. Polluting our land, our water, our food, and even us with microplastics. 

“We intend to completely replace these products with biocompatible and biodegradable materials, without compromising on product performance or affordability. We are incredibly grateful to our investors and the faith they have in us. We look forward in the coming years to carrying this product to market, and hopefully, making the world a better place.”

The capital will be used primarily to accelerate R&D in order to optimise A&B’s sustainable SAP formulations, and achieve the “trifecta” of high performance, competitive pricing, and validation at industrial scale across hygiene and agricultural applications.

According to van Trappen, the company’s preferred initial pathway is licensing and joint development agreements with large industrial players. However, it has also kept additional options open, including contract manufacturing, where a partner produces the material under its IP, and self production. 

“At our current operating plan, the round gives us roughly 2 years. That said, runway is always a function of ambition. If we secure major commercial agreements sooner, or if we encounter exceptional talent that materially accelerates the programme, we are prepared to redeploy capital more aggressively or more conservatively. The guiding principle is simple: we spend when it clearly shortens the path to scale and market entry,” he added.

Talking about the next fundraising round, he mentioned that it could come sooner than people might expect. He noted that it will be a multi-million-pound raise, sized around the needs of pilot-scale production and advanced industrial validation. 

The company operates from the University of Oxford’s Begbroke Science Park and has won several awards, including the TBAT Innovation Challenge 2025. It was the 2nd runner-up of the 2025 BBIA Demeter Award for the Startup Category at the Royal Society of Chemistry in November 2025. A&B was also awarded an equity-free grant of nearly €104k (£91,250) in 2025 from the Henry Royce Institute of Advanced Materials, in partnership with the University of Warwick Polymer Group and Reactwise.