Sparxell

About Sparxell

Sparxell is a University of Cambridge materials spin-out founded in 2022–2023 by Dr Benjamin Droguet (CEO) and Professor Silvia Vignolini that engineers cellulose into plant-based structural colour pigments, inks, glitters, sequins and films as plastic-free, toxin-free alternatives to synthetic dyes and mined minerals. Applications span textiles, cosmetics, packaging, paints and coatings; milestones include plant-derived textile inks with Positive Materials and a collaboration with Patrick McDowell. Earlier capital included seed and grant support (Circular Innovation Fund / L’Oréal, Future Communities Capital, PDS Ventures, Katapult, Joyance Partners) plus a separate €1.9 million EIC grant. In February 2026 Sparxell raised €4.2 million ($5 million) pre-Series A led by SWEN Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean 2 fund with Alpha Star Capital and Cambridge Enterprise, to move from pilots to tonne-scale manufacturing, accelerate certifications and hire for commercialisation. Sources: EU-Startups 3 Feb 2026; sparxell.com.