Solena Materials
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Solena Materials does
Solena Materials is a London-based protein materials design company spun out of Imperial College London in 2022. It develops biodegradable, non-oil-derived protein fibres for the textile and apparel industry, targeting premium athleisure, performance, and luxury fashion brands as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-derived synthetics and to natural fibres that lack industrial scalability. The company positions itself against a stated problem that the fashion sector emits greenhouse gases equivalent to the combined economies of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, and that synthetic fibres are a major source of microplastic pollution.
The company's core technology is an AI-driven biomaterials platform that combines in-house deep learning models for generative protein sequence design with automated laboratory workflows (liquid-handling robots) and a proprietary high-throughput materials testing method. The design-test-learn loop enables the company to design new-to-world protein sequences optimised for specific fibre properties — tensile strength, elasticity, biodegradability, and hand-feel — and to validate them at small scale in parallel. The technology stack is supported by a 15+ person team covering computational biology, synthetic biology, materials science, and machine learning, with co-founders Dr James MacDonald (CEO), Prof. Paul Freemont, and Prof. Milo Shaffer providing the academic backbone.
Commercially, Solena is pre-revenue and pre-launch, with a stated plan for first commercial products with partner brands in 2028, three years out from its May 2025 seed funding. Revenue is intended to come from selling protein-based fibres to apparel brands (a hardware-style sales model) under direct enterprise partnerships. Current operational scale is a pilot facility at Imperial's White City Deep Tech Campus with capacity for up to two tonnes of fibre per year. The company has raised a $6.7 million seed round (May 2025) and secured non-dilutive grants from UK Research and Innovation, Innovate UK, and Eureka Eurostars, alongside development partnerships with the Centre for Process Innovation, the UK's National Physical Laboratory, and The Protein Express to build out the fermentation and scale-up value chain required for commercialisation.
Solena Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solena Materials
- Legal name
- Solena Materials Limited
- Website
- https://solena-materials.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solena Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Protein Fibres
- NAICS
- Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522)
- SIC
- Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biodegradable Fibers & Nonwovens (industrial textiles, wipes) (IMAEAOAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fermentation-Derived Proteins (Precision Fermentation, Biomass Fermentation) (AFAJAHAH), Biobased, Compostable & Low-Impact Material Innovation (Bio-polymers/Dope Dyeing) (IMAOAMAM), Man-Made Fiber Manufacturing (Polyester/Nylon/Acrylic/Viscose) (IMAOAAAB)
Keywords
Where Solena Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Solena Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Protein Fibre Sales: Selling biodegradable, protein-based fibres to fashion and apparel brands as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-derived synthetic materials.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Solena Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solena Materials designs new proteins from scratch using proprietary deep learning models, and produces them via engineered microbes and fermentation to create high-performance, non-oil derived, biodegradable protein fibres for the textile and apparel industry. The fibres are intended to replace petrochemical-derived synthetic textiles and address microplastic pollution, with commercial sales to fashion and apparel brands planned from 2028.
Product overview
Solena Materials offers a core product of AI-designed biodegradable protein fibers for the textile industry, supported by their proprietary biomaterials platform. The platform enables computational protein design using deep learning models, automated laboratory production using liquid handling robots, and high-throughput materials testing. This integrated approach allows the company to design, develop, and scale production of sustainable protein-based fibers for premium apparel, luxury fashion, and performance wear markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AI-Designed Protein Fibres Biodegradable, non-oil derived protein fibres designed using in-house deep learning models and produced via engineered microbes. The fibres are tailored for tensile strength, elasticity, biodegradability and functional performance, and are intended for premium athleisure, luxury fashion, and performance apparel brands as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-derived synthetics.
Companies that use Solena Materials
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Solena Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
Solena Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- The Protein Express (BioscienZ)corePartnership through the EXPREST project combining Solena's AI-driven protein design with The Protein Express's advanced fermentation technology to enable scalable, commercially viable production of protein-based textiles. The 32-month project received €1.4 million in funding from Eureka's Eurostars programme. Solena is the lead partner.
- National Physical Laboratory (NPL)majorGrant partnership through Innovate UK's Analysis for Innovators competition. NPL supports characterisation of Solena's innovative protein fibre materials to demonstrate competitiveness against natural and synthetic alternatives.
- Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)majorPartnership funded by UK Research and Innovation Engineering Biology Collaborative R&D competition. CPI provides expertise in developing innovative and cost-effective methods for producing protein-based materials.
- Imperial College LondoncoreSolena Materials is a spinout from Imperial College London. The company maintains close links to the Imperial innovation ecosystem, world-leading scientific talent, and research facilities including London BioFoundry. Imperial's White City Deep Tech Campus hosts Solena's new pilot facility at the I-HUB building.
- London BioFoundrysupportingSupports Solena Materials through the Imperial College innovation ecosystem, providing access to biofoundry capabilities and expertise.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Solena Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Allbirds: US footwear and apparel brand built around sustainable materials (wool, eucalyptus fiber, sugarcane foam). Broad incumbent representing the downstream customer archetype Solena is targeting, validating consumer demand for bio-based apparel fibers.
Emerging players
- Protein Evolution: US early-stage company using AI and synthetic biology to design protein-based materials including fibers. Emerging peer with direct overlap on AI-driven protein design for textile applications.
- MycoTechnology: US-based company using mycelium fermentation to produce sustainable materials. Emerging peer in bio-fabricated materials with overlapping fermentation technology but different feedstock (fungi rather than designed proteins).
- Keel Labs: US-based company (formerly Smart Fibres) developing seaweed-based yarns for apparel. Emerging peer in next-generation sustainable fibers targeting fashion brands, with partial overlap on the bio-based fiber thesis but a different feedstock.
Direct peers
- Modern Meadow: US biofabrication company developing sustainable protein-based and bio-based materials for fashion and automotive applications. Direct peer in applying biotechnology to produce next-generation sustainable materials for premium brands.
- Spiber: Japanese biotech company producing Brewed Protein fibers via fermentation for apparel and luxury applications. Closest direct peer: also designs novel protein-based fibers as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical synthetics, targeting similar premium and luxury brand customers.
- AMSilk: German company producing Biosteel silk-like fibers via biotech processes for textiles and personal care. Direct competitor in fermentation-derived protein fibers with established partnerships in apparel and consumer goods.
- Bolt Threads: US-based company developing protein-based fibers including Microsilk and b-silk for fashion and beauty. Direct competitor using biotech to produce silk-like and novel protein fibers for premium apparel and cosmetics customers.
Others
- Insempra: German biotechnology company and Solena's lead strategic investor (CEO Jens Klein chairs Solena's board). Indirectly comparable as a synthetic biology platform enabling ingredient and material innovation, with adjacent biotech IP rather than direct fiber competition.
- Ginkgo Bioworks: US synthetic biology platform providing cell engineering and fermentation services to multiple industries. Adjacent enabling infrastructure provider for fermentation-based bioproducts, including potential protein fiber production pathways.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Solena Materials social profiles
Digital presenceSolena Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solena Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Solena Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solena Materials M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solena Materials
What does Solena Materials do?
Solena Materials designs new proteins from scratch using proprietary deep learning models, and produces them via engineered microbes and fermentation to create high-performance, non-oil derived, biodegradable protein fibres for the textile and apparel industry. The fibres are intended to replace petrochemical-derived synthetic textiles and address microplastic pollution, with commercial sales to fashion and apparel brands planned from 2028.
Is Solena Materials a public or private company?
Solena Materials is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Solena Materials founded?
Solena Materials was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Solena Materials based?
Solena Materials is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Solena Materials make money?
One revenue line is on record: protein Fibre Sales.
Who are Solena Materials's main competitors?
Allbirds is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Protein Evolution, MycoTechnology and Keel Labs. Direct peers are Modern Meadow, Spiber, AMSilk and Bolt Threads. Others are Insempra and Ginkgo Bioworks.
Does Solena Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solena Materials.
What industry is Solena Materials in?
Solena Materials's product category is Sustainable Protein Fibres. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAOAG, Biodegradable Fibers & Nonwovens (industrial textiles, wipes), with a secondary code of AFAJAHAH, Fermentation-Derived Proteins (Precision Fermentation, Biomass Fermentation). Its NAICS code is 32522 and its SIC code is 2221.