April 16th 2024
Swiss natural fibre composites company Bcomp today announced it has completed a $40M Series C investment funding round.
Originally developed to lighten and reinforce backcountry skis, Bcomp's bio-based composites have been adapted and field-tested in motorsports to deliver performance benefits and positive, sustainable impacts.
OEMs can use them as substitutes for standard materials like carbon, glass, or plastic in their target markets.
In specific applications, powerRibs™ and the ampliTex™ technical fabric ranges offer superior lightweight and stiffness potentials relative to synthetic composites. The materials also offer distinct advantages, including high-vibration damping and enhanced safety, as they do not shatter upon impact.
By adopting these sustainable solutions and achieving dematerialisation through reduced material usage, it's possible to significantly decrease CO2 emissions across the entire lifecycle of customer products, from production to end-of-life.
OEMs associated with investors like BMW i Ventures, Porsche Ventures and Volvo Cars Tech Fund already use powerRibs™ and ampliTex™. For example, ampliTex™ fabric is being applied at volume for visible interior components in the new electric Volvo EX30. Meanwhile, BMW is using both products to design performance interior and exterior parts for its BMW M4 GT4.
The company's materials contribute significantly to decarbonisation by allowing automotive interiors a reduction in plastic content by up to 70 per cent and total weight savings of up to 50 per cent compared with traditional materials and techniques. Using these natural, high-performance materials can also reduce the quantity of CO2 emitted from cradle to gate by up to 60 per cent, and parts can be recycled and repurposed to serve a second life in another set of components.
The round was led by EGS Beteiligungen AG (EGSB), a major Swiss institutional investor focused on growth-stage companies. Verve Ventures, Zürcher Kantonalbank, and RKKVC are additional new investors.
The funding round also saw a group of Series A and Series B participants deepen their investment in Bcomp, including Generali and Airbus Ventures, as well as strategic investment funds associated with high-profile OEMs such as BMW i Ventures, Porsche Ventures, and Volvo Cars Tech Fund.
"The success of this funding round speaks to investors' belief in our high-performance decarbonisation solutions," said Bcomp Chairman Christian Jaag.
"This investment will expand our existing markets and propel our growth into exciting new sectors."
"We are very impressed by the maturity and leadership of such a young Swiss company in sustainable, lightweight performance materials," said David Kurmann, Investment Director at EGSB.
"They offer unprecedented solutions to decarbonisation when the global manufacturing sector is trying to meet its carbon-neutral objectives."
*"We continue to be excited by Bcomp's growth and its launch into the global mobility market," said Claas Carsten Kohl, Partner at Airbus Ventures. *
*"Their innovative natural fibre composites are designed to help OEMs decarbonise their supply chains by providing powerful, pragmatic, and economical lightweighting solutions to boost performance." *
The funding will help Bcomp scale its production capacity to convert an advanced pipeline of commercial opportunities in industrial automotive and support its entry into new markets in Asia and North America.
Already seeing industrial-scale applications of its ground-breaking products at Volvo and Polestar, the Swiss-based company will also build on its leadership position in the bio-composite market by introducing lightweight and sustainable solutions for additional verticals, including rail, buses, aviation, aerospace and consumer goods.
Lead image: Bcomp co-founders – Christian Fischer, CEO and Julien Rion, CTO. Photo: uncredited.