BComp

Bcomp is a Swiss cleantech company that engineers and sells sustainable lightweighting solutions derived from natural fibres. Founded in 2011 by Christian Fischer, Julien Rion, and Cyrille Boinay, the company originated as a garage project to produce high-performance skis. The founders, all materials science PhDs from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), leveraged their expertise to reinforce balsa wood cores with flax fibres, leading to the creation of their first product, bCores™. This initial success in the demanding freeride skiing market validated the exceptional mechanical properties of flax fibres and catalyzed the company's pivot towards the broader mobility sectors.

The company's business model centers on supplying advanced biomaterials and providing continuous engineering support, from initial concept to final part manufacturing. Bcomp operates primarily as a B2B supplier, serving a diverse client base that includes high-performance motorsports, automotive, aerospace, luxury yachting, and consumer goods industries. Revenue is generated through the sale of its proprietary products, which serve as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional materials like carbon fiber, glass fiber, and plastics. Bcomp strategically outsources its production to maintain a focus on its core competencies: R&D, sales and marketing, and supply chain management.

Bcomp’s flagship technologies are ampliTex™, a range of technical flax-fibre fabrics, and powerRibs™, a reinforcement grid inspired by leaf veins that creates a 3D structure on a component's B-side. This combination allows for the creation of composite parts that can reduce weight by up to 50% and plastic use by up to 70% compared to conventional materials, while offering superior vibration damping and preventing sharp shattering upon impact. These solutions have been adopted by prominent automotive OEMs like BMW, Volvo, Polestar, and Kia for both interior and exterior components. The company's journey has been marked by significant milestones, including major funding rounds—a Series B of $35M in 2022 and a Series C of $40M in 2024—supported by strategic investors such as BMW i Ventures, Porsche Ventures, Volvo Cars Tech Fund, and Airbus Ventures.

Keywords: natural fiber composites, sustainable lightweighting, cleantech, biomaterials, automotive composites, flax fiber, reinforcement fabrics, ESG solutions, advanced materials, motorsports engineering, sustainable mobility, circular economy, eco-friendly materials, composite manufacturing, high-performance materials, aerospace composites, sustainable yachting, decarbonisation, industrial materials, B Corp