What Cambrium does

Cambrium GmbH is a Berlin-based synthetic biology company founded in 2020 that engineers novel enzymes, polymers, and peptides for enterprise customers in materials-intensive industries. The company operates a "molecular intelligence" platform that combines AI-driven prediction of amino acid sequence behavior with synthetic biology manufacturing to produce molecules whose performance characteristics — strength, flexibility, durability, energy return, biodegradability, bioidentity — are engineered in silico before synthesis and are not achievable through conventional petrochemical chemistry. Headcount is in the 11–50 range and the legal entity is Cambrium GmbH (HRB 220753 B), headquartered at Rheinsberger Straße 77A, 10115 Berlin.

The product portfolio spans four verticals. In personal care, the company sells NovaColl™ (a skin-identical vegan collagen peptide), RevaBond™ (bond repair), LumaCell™ (cellular longevity), and EvoSance™ (hair follicle rejuvenation). In apparel and footwear, it offers Microcellular Foam (energy-return midsoles), Protective Coatings, and Stretch Fibres. The home-care line comprises bio-based enzymes for low-temperature washing detergents and surface cleaners. Mobility and luxury fashion are listed as pipeline verticals. The company has historically operated under a sales-led B2B partnership motion ("Partner with us," "Order samples" CTAs), and in January 2025 added a distribution channel through Brenntag Beauty & Personal Care for NovaColl across key European markets.

Revenue mechanics combine direct B2B specialty-ingredient sales with collaborative custom-development engagements for enterprise customers; pricing is not publicly disclosed and the public posture remains sample/pilot-stage. The company is privately held and venture-backed, having raised an €8 million seed round in October 2023 led by Essential Capital, with a seed extension closed in November 2024 led by Gradient Ventures. Leadership is founder-led: Dr. Mitchell Duffy (CEO), Dr. Charlie Cotton (CSO, co-founder), and Dr. Pierre Salvy (CTO), supported by a Head of Polymers, Chief of Staff, and VP of Business Development.

Name

Cambrium

Legal name

Cambrium GmbH

Website

https://cambrium.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cambrium is a Berlin-based synthetic biology company that uses an AI-driven molecular intelligence platform to design and manufacture novel enzymes, polymers, and peptides for enterprise customers in personal care, apparel and footwear, and home care industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Bio-based Ingredients

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development) (HLAAAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Novel Proteins (Single-Cell Protein, Cell-Cultured/Animal-Free Proteins) (AFAJAHAL), Proteins & Functional Nutrition Ingredients (Plant/Animal Proteins, Collagen, Amino Acids) (CRADAOAJ)

Keywords

• Synthetic biology
• Performance materials
• Molecular engineering
• Bio-based ingredients
• Specialty polymers

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. B2B Materials Sales: Revenue generated through direct B2B sales of specialty molecular ingredients and performance materials to enterprise customers in target industries. The company manufactures and supplies novel enzymes, polymers, and peptides to partner companies for integration into their products.
2. Collaborative Development: Revenue from co-development partnerships with companies seeking custom molecular solutions. Cambrium partners with companies to develop materials that didn't exist until they made them, suggesting custom development and manufacturing agreements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cambrium engineers and manufactures high-performance proteins and specialty molecular ingredients—including enzymes, polymers, and peptides—using a proprietary molecular intelligence platform that combines AI-driven prediction with synthetic biology production. The company sells these bio-based, biodegradable ingredients to enterprise customers in personal care, apparel and footwear, home care, and mobility industries as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical- and animal-derived inputs.

Product overview

Cambrium is a synthetic biology company that develops sustainable performance molecules using AI-powered molecular intelligence. Their platform spans three molecular systems — enzymes, polymers, and peptides — enabling the design and manufacturing of materials for personal care, apparel and footwear, home care, and other industries. The product portfolio includes NovaColl™ (bioidentical anti-aging peptide), RevaBond™ (bond repair), LumaCell™ (cellular longevity), and EvoSance™ (hair rejuvenation) for personal care; Microcellular Foam, Protective Coatings, and Stretch Fibers for apparel and footwear; and custom enzymes for home care applications. All products are designed for biodegradability and sustainable alternatives to petrochemical and animal-derived ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NovaColl™: Bioidentical anti-aging peptide for personal care applications
• RevaBond™
• LumaCell™
• EvoSance™
• Microcellular Foam
• Protective Coatings
• Stretch Fibres
• Washing Detergent

Products and services

• NovaColl™ Bioidentical anti-aging peptide for personal care applications — a skin-identical vegan collagen alternative that mirrors what the body naturally produces, offering deeper absorption and stronger signaling compared to synthetic chemistry alternatives.
• RevaBond™ All-natural bond repair ingredient for personal care formulations, designed to restore hair or material bonds.
• LumaCell™ Active ingredient designed for longevity at the cellular level in personal care applications.
• EvoSance™ Follicle-first hair rejuvenation technology for personal care applications.
• Microcellular Foam Performance polymer engineered for apparel and footwear applications — microcellular foam tuned for energy return in footwear midsoles, providing stretch, resilience, and breathability.
• Protective Coatings Invisible protective coating technology for apparel, footwear, and accessories, providing durability and protection without compromising aesthetics.
• Stretch Fibres Performance fiber technology engineered for stretch and resilience in textile applications, designed to provide comfort and flexibility.
• Enzymes and Bio-based Actives Custom enzymes engineered for specific cleaning challenges in home care applications — designed to clean effectively at lower temperatures, biodegrade completely, and work gently on fabrics and surfaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Independent studies have shown positive results for NovaColl efficacy

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature11 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BrenntagcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 January 2025Brenntag Beauty and Personal Care partnered with Cambrium to launch skin-identical vegan collagen (NovaColl) in key European markets. Brenntag, as a global chemical distributor, provides Cambrium with access to their extensive personal care customer network across Europe, enabling wide distribution of Cambrium's breakthrough collagen ingredient.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Geltor: Direct competitor developing animal-free proteins and peptides via precision fermentation for personal care and food applications. Geltor and Cambrium both use synthetic biology to produce bioidentical collagen and other proteins as sustainable alternatives to animal-derived ingredients, targeting the same CPG brand customers.
• Spiber: Direct competitor using brewed protein (fermentation-based) to produce structural protein fibers for apparel and footwear applications. Spiber and Cambrium's apparel & footwear division both target performance material customers seeking bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived synthetics like spandex and nylon.
• Bolt Threads: Direct competitor producing lab-grown proteins (including spider silk-inspired fibers and beauty ingredients) via synthetic biology for fashion, beauty, and personal care applications. Bolt Threads and Cambrium both bridge sustainable protein materials from biotech into CPG and apparel end markets.
• Cradle: Direct competitor applying generative AI and machine learning to protein design, helping partners engineer novel proteins faster. Cradle and Cambrium share the same AI-for-biology platform thesis and target similar enterprise customers in the protein engineering space, though Cradle operates more as a software/partner model.
• Modern Meadow: Direct competitor using bio-fabrication and synthetic biology to produce sustainable materials, including bio-based leather alternatives and protein-based materials for fashion and automotive applications. Modern Meadow and Cambrium both target materials-intensive industries with fermentation-derived alternatives to animal- and petrochemical-derived inputs.

Emerging players

• Insempra: Emerging European synthetic biology company producing fermentation-derived specialty ingredients for cosmetics, food, and materials. Insempra overlaps with Cambrium on bio-based personal-care ingredients and shares the European market footprint, though Insempra's ingredient portfolio is more nutrition-oriented.

Broad incumbents

• Croda International: Global specialty ingredients leader with a deep personal-care and beauty portfolio serving the same CPG customers Cambrium targets via Brenntag. Croda's Personal Care division competes directly with NovaColl and other Cambrium bioactive peptides, while its established regulatory dossiers and global sales force represent the benchmark Cambrium must displace.
• Evonik Industries: Major specialty chemicals company with significant personal-care, cosmetics, and sustainable materials businesses. Evonik's Care Solutions division and its biolab-produced ingredients (e.g., ceramides, peptides) compete directly with Cambrium's bioactives, while its polymer portfolio overlaps with Cambrium's performance materials work.
• BASF: World's largest chemical company with a Care Chemicals division serving personal care, home care, and industrial cleaning customers — overlapping with Cambrium's enzymatic home-care actives and personal-care peptides. BASF's massive R&D budget and established CPG relationships represent both a competitive threat and a potential partnership/acquisition counterparty for Cambrium.
• dsm-firmenich: Global leader in nutrition, health, and beauty ingredients formed by the merger of DSM and Firmenich. The Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients division competes directly with Cambrium's peptide and bioactive portfolio for CPG brand customers, while dsm-firmenich's sustainability positioning overlaps with Cambrium's animal-free value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambrium
• Xx.com/cambrium_bio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors13 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambrium