Materiom
Materiom operates an AI-powered open-access platform that helps scientists, producers, and brands develop bio-based materials, combining a global biomaterials recipe database with a generative AI chatbot for ingredient discovery and property prediction, funded primarily through philanthropic grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Materiom does
Materiom is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (Materiom CIC) operating an AI-enabled open-data platform for biobased materials innovation. Its flagship product, the Materiom Commons, is a free, web-accessible database of biomaterials recipes cataloguing ingredients, processing methods, and performance properties, used by a community reported at 20,000+ innovators across more than 100 countries. In March 2025, Materiom launched Materiom AI, a generative AI chatbot trained on biomaterials scientific literature that assists users in discovering biopolymers, ingredients, and additives, complemented by proprietary neural-network regression models that predict mechanical properties (Young's modulus, ultimate tensile strength, elongation at break) from material composition.
The underlying data infrastructure is built on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles co-developed with the University of Oxford, NIST, and MIT Centre of Bits and Atoms, and the platform supports customer segments spanning biobased materials startups (e.g., KUORI, Sway), consumer brands pursuing ESG and packaging targets, academic researchers, and remote communities executing local waste-valorization projects. Materiom's revenue model is predominantly philanthropic: grants from Google.org (2024), the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Builders Vision (October 2025), and the Fast Forward Accelerator (2025, $25,000 reported) fund AI software development, supplemented by ad hoc research partnerships with universities, municipalities, and foundations such as the Wege Foundation and the European Union's REFLOW project. The organization does not publicly disclose pricing tiers beyond free community access, and no commercial subscription revenue or per-seat pricing was identified.
Materiom is led by co-CEOs Dr. Alysia Garmulewicz (Oxford doctorate, Rhodes Scholar, Associate Professor at Universidad de Santiago de Chile) and Liz Corbin (former Managing Director of Metabolic Institute, RCA program lead), supported by a CTO recruited from Google, a Scientific Lead recruited from Earthshot Prize winner Notpla, and a distributed staff of approximately 8-11 team members across London, San Francisco, Santiago, and Cape Town. Strategic alliances with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Fab Lab network, and major universities position the platform as connective infrastructure for the regenerative materials economy rather than a vertically integrated materials producer.
Materiom firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Materiom
- Legal name
- Materiom CIC
- Website
- https://materiom.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Materiom operates an AI-powered open-access platform that helps scientists, producers, and brands develop bio-based materials, combining a global biomaterials recipe database with a generative AI chatbot for ingredient discovery and property prediction, funded primarily through philanthropic grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Materiom industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Materials R&D Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Math & Science Interactive Learning Platforms (STEM Core) (EDAFANAH)
Keywords
Where Materiom is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Materiom business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grants: Primary revenue stream from philanthropic foundations supporting AI software development for biobased materials innovation. Grants from Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Builders Vision support AI development and accelerator programs.
- Platform Freemium Model: Free community access to the Commons platform with basic features. Premium services potentially available for enterprise users and brands seeking targeted support.
- Research Partnerships: Collaborative research projects with universities, foundations, and regional partners (e.g., Wege Foundation, European Union) to investigate regenerative materials and value chains.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Community Access |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Materiom product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Materiom operates the Materiom Commons, an open-access database and community platform that aggregates biomaterials recipes, formulations, and performance data for bio-based material innovation. The company also provides Materiom AI, a generative AI chatbot that assists users in discovering high-performing bio-based ingredients and additives for developing 100% biobased, compostable plastic substitutes used in packaging, textiles, durable goods, and construction.
Product overview
Materiom offers two core products: the Materiom Commons platform and the Materiom AI chatbot. The Materiom Commons is an open-access database and community platform that supports biobased materials innovation across packaging, textiles, durable goods, and the built environment. It provides tools for discovering biomaterials recipes, contributing innovations, analyzing material performance, and connecting with a global network of over 20,000 innovators. Materiom AI is a generative AI chatbot integrated into the Commons that enables fast discovery of high-performing bio-based ingredients and additives. Together, these products provide open data and AI-powered technology to accelerate the research, development, and uptake of regenerative biomaterials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Materiom Commons Open-access database and community platform supporting biobased materials innovation for packaging, textiles, durable goods, and the built environment. Features include AI-assisted ingredient discovery (Accelerate), a biomaterials recipe database (Discover), innovation showcasing (Contribute), material performance comparison (Analyse), and a user directory for networking (Connect). Used by scientists, designers, engineers, startups, manufacturers, and brands.
- Materiom AI A generative AI chatbot that assists users with discovery of biopolymers, ingredients, and additives for bio-based material development. Uses AI to discover high-performing bio-based ingredients and additives in seconds based on performance needs and environmental impact goals. Used by scientists, producers, and brands developing next-generation biobased materials.
Quantifiable outcome
- Users can discover high-performing bio-based ingredients and additives in seconds using AI chatbot
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Materiom
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Materiom technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Materiom partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Galapagos Conservation FundminorPartnership for Galapagos project designing biomaterials from locally abundant biomass through waste valorization and community innovation support.
- MetabolicminorConsultancy partnership in REFLOW project for circular regenerative resource flows in European cities, conducting material flow analyses.
- Leibniz University HannoverminorLead academic partner in CiD (Innovation Alliance for Circular Design) project, developing innovation in circular design education across European institutions.
- Universidad de Santiago Chile (USACH)minorPartner in Bioplastico Territorial project developing data-driven platform for seaweed-based bioplastics in Chile.
- Fab Lab AustralminorPartnership with one of the world's southernmost digital fabrication laboratories in Puerto Williams, Chile, for Biomaterials Austral project exploring circular solutions from crab shell waste.
- University of OxfordcoreAcademic partnership for research collaboration, FAIR data principles implementation, and co-development of AI solutions. Co-CEO Alysia Garmulewicz is an Associate Fellow at CABDyN Complexity Centre, Saïd Business School.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)coreUS federal agency partnership for standardization of biomaterials data and research collaboration using FAIR data principles.
- MIT Centre of Bits and AtomscoreResearch partnership for digital fabrication and biomaterials development, particularly for distributed manufacturing and Fab Lab network collaborations.
- Ellen MacArthur FoundationcoreStrategic collaboration on bio-based stretch fabrics project, engaging fashion brands and materials developers to assess challenges and opportunities for developing 100% bio-based elastane.
- Copenhagen Business SchoolminorAcademic partner in REFLOW project leading research on circular and regenerative urban development models.
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica (PUC) ChileminorAcademic partner in Bioplastico Territorial project for seaweed-based bioplastics development.
- MITminorAcademic partner in Biomaterials & Regenerative Agriculture project focused on the Great Lakes Region.
- The Fab FoundationminorFoundation managing Fab Lab network globally; Advisory board member Sherry Lassiter provides guidance on distributed manufacturing and maker space networks.
- GoogleminorAdvisory board member Michael Werner (Head of Circular Economy, Google) provides strategic guidance on circular economy initiatives.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Materiom competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Materiom social profiles
Digital presenceMateriom financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Materiom leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Materiom funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Materiom 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 Materiom
What does Materiom do?
Materiom operates the Materiom Commons, an open-access database and community platform that aggregates biomaterials recipes, formulations, and performance data for bio-based material innovation. The company also provides Materiom AI, a generative AI chatbot that assists users in discovering high-performing bio-based ingredients and additives for developing 100% biobased, compostable plastic substitutes used in packaging, textiles, durable goods, and construction.
Is Materiom a public or private company?
Materiom is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Materiom founded?
Materiom was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Materiom based?
Materiom is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Materiom make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Grants are the primary driver. The others are platform Freemium Model and research Partnerships.
Does Materiom have an API?
No public API is recorded for Materiom.
What industry is Materiom in?
Materiom's product category is Sustainable Materials R&D Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFANAH, Math & Science Interactive Learning Platforms (STEM Core).