Adsorbi scores €360K seed funding for air purification material

Gothenburg-based startup Adsorbi has received €360,000 in seed funding for its novel air purification material from Metsä Spring, Jovitech Invest and Chalmers Ventures. The funding will support further research into product applications and expedite sales in odour removal and art conservation markets.

Adsorbi’s innovative cellulose-based material, created by a Chalmers University of Technology team, brings a transformative approach to the air purification and odour elimination sector.

The team developed an eco-friendly alternative to overcome the limitations of activated carbon. The team sources the material from cellulose obtained from Nordic forests, making it a bio-based solution. It applies the material in various applications, such as air filters and odour removal products.

They also highlight its potential use in protecting artefacts from air pollutants and harmful particles emitted by artwork in areas such as shoes, bags, cars, museums and art galleries.

Adsorbi co-founder and CEO Hanna Johansson said, “Our patented material can be used wherever air pollutants are a problem […] This means we can tackle several significant markets with one unique material.”

Environmentally friendly solutions for air purification

Johansson and her research colleagues founded Adsorbi in January 2022. The company gained international media attention and received the prestigious Åforsk entrepreneurial grant in the same year.

She has collaborated with museums in Gothenburg and Stockholm on development projects. Johansson also has prepared to launch a product for the international art market, targeting museums, archives and art collectors.

“We have secured a distribution agreement with a German distributor that operates in over 50 countries,” she said.

According to Johansson, Adsorbi is currently partnering with companies that manufacture air purifiers for households, restaurants and the manufacturing sector. She also said the upcoming stricter indoor air regulations in the EU are currently a top concern for her and the team.

Adsorbi is also poised to enter a new market segment, driven by interest from the shoe industry, with a concrete application for its products.

“We are launching odour removal inserts for shoes, which will serve as a springboard for expanding our organisation and production capacity,” Johansson said.

Looking ahead, Adsorbi envisions offering various sustainable alternatives to replace less eco-friendly options.

“In the long term, Adsorbi aims to establish itself as a material platform for a range of bio-based products,” she added.