GOZEN – a transformative biomaterials startup that is set to disrupt the fashion, automotive and home furnishings industries – recently announced $3.3 million in a seed funding round. This funding round comes from forward-thinking investors like Happiness Capital (lead investor), Accelr8, Astor Management, and SOSV – who recognized GOZEN’s unique potential to transform the world of materials through biology. This funding round will enable GOZEN to accelerate research, development, and scaling efforts for its breakthrough biomaterial LUNAFORM, and fuel the creation of new materials.
GOZEN has a goal of replacing traditional materials in the fashion and automotive industries by producing a range of high-performing vegan and plastic-free materials. And in line with the rising ESG imperative, there is a growing demand for sustainable alternatives.
LUNAFORM – the company’s flagship biomaterial – is produced by microorganisms during a fermentation process and is distinctively free from both plastic and animal components. And this innovative material was unveiled earlier this month during Paris Fashion Week at the Balenciaga Summer 24 show Paris Fashion Week. This partnership with Balenciaga culminated in the Balenciaga LUNAFORM Maxi Bathrobe Coat and marked the inaugural use of LUNAFORM in the fashion industry.
Differentiating from composite plant-based leathers assembled in layers, LUNAFORM is a singular and fully formed material, giving it remarkable tensile strength and natural flexibility. Available in 13-square-foot sheets with customizable thickness and texture, LUNAFORM creates a new standard in design adaptability. The manufacturing method is entirely vegan, non-GMO, and avoids harsh synthetic chemicals.
LUNAFORM’s formation requires a nutrient-rich environment where microorganisms craft intricate, ultra-crystalline patterns. And following the introduction of natural agents, a three-dimensional material begins to form. Unlike composite plant-based leathers assembled in layers, LUNAFORM emerges as a singular and fully formed material, giving it a remarkable tensile strength and natural flexibility.
GOZEN’s material production process takes just ten days and bypasses the need for tanning. With the recent funding round, the startup is progressing with its plans to open a new facility in Turkey, aiming for an annual production capacity of over 1 million square feet.
KEY QUOTES:
“At GOZEN, we produce advanced biomaterials with the potential to unlock circular design. With this investment, we’ve shown that we have a path to delivering on that potential at scale.”
– Ece Gozen, founder and CEO of GOZEN
“There is a lot of competition now in animal free leather. But I believed that GOZEN’s approach could surpass all others in both performance and economics, and we’ve already demonstrated this by launching our first commercial product – at Fashion Week, no less. We’ve accomplished in months what it’s taken others years to do.”
– Po Bronson, Managing Director of SOSV’s IndieBio, was GOZEN’s first investor
