The Japanese company Spiber raises 60 million euros for its protein fiber

After moving to the industrialization phase of its offer through a factory in Thailand, the Japanese company Spiber has announced that it has raised 10 billion yen (about 60 million euros) to support the launch of its protein fiber offer.

The result of fifteen years of research, Spiber's 'Brewed Protein' brings selected plant polymers into contact with bacteria. The process, which those responsible for the project describe as “very similar to brewing beer”, has already won over fifteen Japanese and international brands, including The North Face, Pangaia, Sacai, Goldwin and Yuima Nakazato.

The 10 billion yen financing round was carried out with existing investors. The stated goal is to accelerate mass production of the protein, initially conceived as an alternative to spider silk, but whose latest developments have produced results close to the properties of wool or even cashmere.

“Despite the difficult fundraising environment for startups in the global economic climate, we have been able to maintain our growth thanks to their recognition and expectations,” says director Kazuhide Sekiyama. “We remain committed to establishing and improving the biotechnology foundations essential to achieving a circular society, as well as fulfilling our social implementation responsibility as pioneers in this sector.”

Spiber's industrial center in Thailand currently uses biomass composed mainly of sugar cane, from which the company intends to progressively transition to non-food materials. With a production capacity of 500 tonnes per year, the plant's polymers are subsequently spun at a unit in Japan. Since 2020, the company has been working on the implementation of a future industrial center in Iowa, in collaboration with the ADM agricultural group.