BZERO, specialized in the development of sustainable biomaterials, closes a €1.5 million seed funding round

alencia-based startup BZERO, a developer of sustainable biomaterials, has closed a €1.5 million seed funding round. The investment brings the company's total funding raised since its founding in 2021 to €2.5 million and marks a significant step towards scaling production of what it describes as the market's thinnest cost-competitive compostable film.

The round was backed by existing investors Ship2B Ventures, CTL Investments and Torribas, all of whom increased their commitment, while Impact Shakers Ventures and Viscofan joined as new shareholders. According to the company, the round brings not only capital but also industrial expertise and deep knowledge of the agri-food sector, helping accelerate the commercial deployment of its technology.

Founded by José Espí and Cristina Martín, BZERO was created with the ambition of developing plastics with "zero waste, zero emissions, and no cost premium." To achieve this, the company has developed a proprietary thermoplastic starch (TPS) technology capable of producing home-compostable films just seven microns thick—thinner than a human hair—while delivering mechanical performance comparable to conventional plastics.

The technology is designed to replace low-density polyethylene (LDPE), widely used in bags, labels, food nets and flexible packaging, without increasing production costs. The solution addresses the growing demand for sustainable packaging materials driven by new European packaging regulations.

"The transition away from plastics will only succeed if bio-based alternatives can compete on cost, performance and scale. We have built BZERO around that principle from day one. This funding round provides us with the resources we need to move from proof of concept to commercial-scale production while maintaining the performance standards our customers and partners expect," said José Espí, CEO and co-founder of BZERO.

Ship2B Ventures, one of the company's earliest investors, highlighted BZERO's progress from its initial development stages to industrial readiness.

"We backed José and Cristina's team at the pre-seed stage to transform a laboratory-scale material into an industry-ready product, without losing sight of unit economics or environmental impact. BZERO is now converting its pilot projects into industrial contracts, which is why we have doubled down on our investment," said Paula Cassà, Director of Fundraising and Investment at Ship2B Ventures.

Viscofan also underlined the industrial potential of BZERO's technology and its ability to meet the evolving regulatory requirements of the packaging industry.

"What attracted us to BZERO was its ability to combine sustainability with industrial reality. The team has developed an innovative solution that creates value for customers while helping address the evolving regulatory landscape, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Having supported BZERO from the outset through technical collaboration, investing in the company was the natural next step as it brings this technology to market," said Charo Villarroel, Viscofan's representative on BZERO's Board of Directors.

The newly raised capital will be used to expand the company's industrial production capacity beyond its current output of approximately 300 tonnes per year, accelerate pilot projects with leading food packaging companies, and continue developing its proprietary bioplastic formulations.

About the investors

Ship2B Ventures is a Barcelona-based impact venture capital firm and a pioneer in Spain in integrating social and environmental impact criteria into startup investing. The firm manages several specialised funds and supports entrepreneurs developing solutions in areas such as climate action, ageing technologies and children's health.

CTL Investments is the investment company founded by Jürgen Mossakowski, former CEO of CHG-MERIDIAN.

Torribas is a company founded in the 1930s specialising in the production and packaging of agricultural products, particularly potatoes, onions, garlic and sweet potatoes.

Viscofan develops food casing solutions distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide. In addition to its core casing business, the company also offers products and solutions in health-related markets and the pet treats segment.

Impact Shakers Ventures is an impact-focused investor supporting diverse founding teams across Europe and the UK at the pre-seed stage, with a focus on scalable Climate Tech, Inclusion Tech and impact infrastructure solutions.