Pune-based biotech company Zerocircle has raised Rs 20 crore ($2.3 million) in a new round led by Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath’s startup incubator Rainmatter to scale manufacturing and expand the team.
The round also saw participation from early-stage venture capital firms 1Crowd, VC Grid, 7th Gen Ventures, and environmental advocate Trudie Styler, among others.
Pune-based biotech company Zerocircle has raised Rs 20 crore ($2.3 million) in a new round led by Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath’s startup incubator Rainmatter to scale manufacturing and expand the team.
Zerocircle makes innovative seaweed-based alternatives to petrochemical plastics.
The round also saw participation from early-stage venture capital firms 1Crowd, VC Grid, 7th Gen Ventures, and environmental advocate Trudie Styler, among others.
This milestone marks a significant step in Zerocircle’s mission to revolutionize seaweed packaging in key global markets. In the last 4 years, Zerocircle has patented the technology to manufacture these materials in existing manufacturing infrastructure – which is a huge step forward for the biomaterials industry when it comes to scaling up without additional CAPEX.
Founded in 2020 by Neha Jain, Zerocirle creates seaweed-based packaging designed to replace harmful petrochemical-based materials. Its product range includes coated packaging for hamburger boxes, fried food containers, bakery packaging, and food trays.
“Our nature-based materials challenge the status quo that goes beyond just visible plastic pollution. Fueled by anti-plastic policies, the demand for clean sustainable solutions is already strong,” says Neha Jain, founder and Managing Director of Zerocircle.
According to the Pune-based startup, the total production capacity is expected to exceed 3,000 tonnes annually by 2028 across product categories, such as coated paperboards, food boxes, and advanced coatings.
Over the past year, Zerocircle has focused on refining its first commercial-grade seaweed-based coating for food packaging. This product targets a market increasingly governed by strict anti-plastic regulations. The company has already secured commercial orders from major packaging distributors and food brands, including coated packaging for hamburger boxes and food trays.
The company’s innovative solutions, including their work on microplastics-free packaging, have already garnered widespread acclaim, with accolades such as the prestigious Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize, the UN Global Award for Cleantech Days, and a win at the India Plastic Challenge — a government initiative aimed at tackling plastic waste.
The brand is currently operating in Europe and is looking to expand its presence in markets such as the GCC.