Mykor, a Bristol-based biotechnology company that transforms industrial and agricultural waste into low-carbon construction products, has secured £4 million in funding to accelerate the scale-up of its industrial biofabrication technologies. The funding round was led by Clean Growth Fund, with participation from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund through The FSE Group, Green Angel Ventures, and support from Innovate UK’s investor partnership programme. The latest investment brings the company’s total funding raised to £7.5 million.
The built environment is responsible for approximately 39% of global emissions, including around 11% from embodied carbon in materials and 28% from operational energy use. Mykor is addressing this challenge by developing construction products that can reduce both embodied and operational carbon while meeting industry requirements for fire safety, acoustic performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
The company’s proprietary biofabrication platform combines engineered mycelium strains, green chemistry additives, and automated closed-loop manufacturing processes to create a range of construction products from agricultural and industrial waste streams. Its product portfolio includes prefabricated walls and cavity wall insulation designed to integrate into existing construction and manufacturing systems.
Rather than operating solely as a product manufacturer, Mykor positions itself as a technology and process platform that enables contractors and manufacturers to incorporate low-carbon biomaterials into existing production lines. This approach allows the company to expand through established industrial infrastructure rather than relying exclusively on centralized manufacturing facilities.
Mykor’s flagship product, MykoSIP, is a preassembled partition wall system that delivers an estimated carbon saving of approximately 23kgCO₂e per square meter compared to conventional alternatives. The company estimates the product provides at least 50% carbon savings, with potentially higher reductions when biogenic carbon storage is included. The panels also use 90% less water and 40% less electricity than comparable polystyrene-based products while maintaining similar thermal and acoustic performance.
The company has already secured commercial traction through live construction projects and two large offtake agreements with UK and European contractors valued at £338 million. The newly raised capital will support production scale-up and the deployment of a repeatable manufacturing model across key markets.
Mykor believes tightening regulations, including the UK Government’s Future Homes Standard and the European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, are creating growing demand for construction materials that can help developers meet stricter sustainability requirements while maintaining performance and affordability.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’ve built Mykor around the idea that decarbonising construction cannot come at the expense of cost, performance or practicality. The challenge has never just been inventing a biomaterial — it’s been manufacturing these systems at industrial scale and integrating them into real construction supply chains. This funding allows us to scale that model further alongside major contractors and manufacturing partners globally. We’re very pleased to be working with investors who understand both the urgency of the problem and the scale of the opportunity ahead.”
Olivia Page, CEO and Co-founder, Mykor
“Mykor addresses one of construction’s most pressing challenges: reducing embodied carbon without adding cost or complexity. Their solution integrates seamlessly into existing building practices and is cost-competitive with conventional materials — delivering meaningful carbon savings without adding cost. We’re delighted to support this exceptional team as they scale commercially.”
Susannah McClintock, Investment Partner, Clean Growth Fund
“Mykor exemplifies the type of sustainability-led innovation the British Business Bank is back within the UK’s Industrial Strategy priority sectors, supporting high-growth companies in advanced manufacturing and climate-focused biotech to scale up and compete on a global stage.”
Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager, British Business Bank
“We’re delighted to provide this investment from the South West Investment Fund to support genuinely breakthrough materials science in the delivery of meaningful carbon reductions. With strong commercial interest already in place and a clear plan to scale production, Mykor is well-positioned to play a significant role in decarbonising the built environment while building a high-growth, internationally relevant business.”
Anna Staevska, Investment Manager, The FSE Group
“We have been consistently impressed by Olivia, Valentina, and the entire Mykor team’s progress and their dedication to transforming how we build. Their innovative approach to bio-based insulation is exactly the kind of disruptive technology needed to decarbonise the built environment. Green Angel Ventures is delighted to provide this follow-on funding to help Mykor scale its production and meet the growing demand from the construction industry.”
Surakat Kudehinbu, Senior Investment Executive, Green Angel Ventures
