Bucha Bio raises $550K to scale MIRAI™ biotextile production

Biotechnology company based in New York, Bucha Bio Inc. that develops novel biomaterials from fermented bacterial nanocellulose and plants, has raised $550K in their most recent fundraising round.

Investors included angels Cary Pinkowski, Nicholas Valeriano, and Fiona and George Sobek, as well as New Climate Ventures, Beni VC, Lifely VC, QKZ Design, MicroVentures.

Bucha, a graduate of SOSV’s IndieBio program and a startup founded in 2019, creates innovative biomaterials from fermented bacterial nanocellulose and plants. The firm creates next-generation materials for use in textiles, packaging, and even hard construction materials. The biotechnology company’s inventions are enabled by an extensive library of plant-based compositions paired with a proprietary consortium of microorganisms.

This round of funding will enable their team to scale production of their signature luxury biotextile, MIRAI™, inspired by the Japanese term “future” and the Italian phrase “look with emphasis.” MIRAI™, which is currently available for reservation, enables brands to cut and sew sustainable materials into their designs, further moving the fashion industry away from petrochemical and animal-derived materials.

Eric Rubenstein, Managing Partner of New Climate Ventures, said that they’re excited to partner with Bucha Bio as they advance the fashion and sustainable materials industries with their innovative and eco-friendly biomaterials.

According to the Material Innovation Initiative, nearly all US consumers (94%) want to buy next-generation materials, and 38 out of 40 fashion firms are actively looking for them. Although the fashion business accounts for only a small portion of the entire materials market, it is responsible for up to 10% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Textile production will use more than a quarter of the world carbon budget by 2050 if left unregulated.

Bucha’s team is committed to developing the best materials on the planet and leaving the world better than we found it by scaling revolutionary biotextiles like MIRAI™  without compromising sustainability.