The material makes it possible to stop and destroy the organic pollutants present in a room. Credit: Anthony Michel
The deep tech start-up PureNat signs a funding round worth more than one million euros. Objective: to industrialize from the Basque Country its innovative solution capable of depolluting indoor air.
The prizes are piling up on the office of the English premises of PureNat. Launched in 2020, the start-up has already made its mark among the most innovative of the sector and has just completed a funding round of 1.1 million euros to industrialize its solution.
PureNat is the culmination of twelve years of research by the founder Natacha Kinadjian Caplat. A researcher in the physico-chemistry of materials, she worked on the indoor air quality. A major issue when France counts more than 20,000 premature deaths linked to indoor pollution. The researcher therefore studied and designed a composite material capable of destroying organic pollutants in the air. ” A biomimetic material because the structure imitates the cells of seaweed says Manon Vaillant, a biotechnology engineer who teamed up with Natacha Kinadjian Caplat to create PureNat. A material that works thanks to photocatalysis, in other words, under the effect of light the agent will activate and oxidize. So, “the pollutants will be cut into very small basic molecules, CO2 and H2O which are no longer toxic to health ».
If the material does not attack mineral pollutants, the mesh works like a filter that stops and destroys organic pollutants. « In 90% of closed environments, we mainly have organic particles explains Manon Vaillant. Compounds that are found, for example, in the paints or glue of a building, or even in the coverings of furniture. “In a home, it concerns cooking activities, incense, candles”. The innovation not only destroys chemical pollutants, but also viruses like COVID-19 and bacteria. The partners have patented the manufacturing process as well as the material. ” To clean up the air, what is used are filters that we put in ventilation and air purifiers, and we would like to replace these filters with PureNat textiles. » Ambitions Manon Vaillant.
Fundraising of 1.1 million euros
For two years, the two partners have developed R&D and advanced the material initially designed by Natacha Kinadjian Caplat to achieve a ” multifilament, which makes it possible to manufacture thousands of filaments per second with industrial machines that allow production rates » . Currently, the company is in the industrial start-up phase. The production of this yarn is based on three steps : the manufacture of the material mixture entrusted to the Canoe technological research center in Pau; the manufacture of yarn and textiles subcontracted by the European Center for Innovative Textiles (CETI) in Lille. Finally a last step, it is a textile activation step “. PureNat is developing a special machine capable of activating the agent on the surface of the textile to destroy pollutants. Thus, the company could internalize this third step.
To support this industrialization, the company has just lever 1,1 million d’euros. The private funds Newfund, Family Office Skalepark, Arts&Métiers Alumni, Adour Business Angels and the BPI entered the capital for 800,000 euros. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region provided them with financial aid of 300,000 euros. Without specifying the dilution, Manon Vaillant indicates that the two partners remain “ large majority “, well aware of having to raise funds again soon to continue the development of PureNat.
A second fundraising which should take place at the end of 2024 to finance the purchase of a larger workshop. In the meantime, by this summer of 2023, PureNat would like to find a site of 800 to 1000m² for rent to accommodate a workshop, and above all this machine under construction which will be ready by this summer. Enough to launch production for their first customers who could be delivered from the end of the year, or even the beginning of next year. “ Then, at the beginning of 2024, we will study the internalization of the first stage of preparation and chemical mixing explains Manon Vaillant.
Several target markets
The uses of their innovation are numerous. But they aim to meet the challenges of air pollution control in sectors such as building air treatment systems, air purifiers, construction and the automotive industry. In addition, they were at the Global Industrie trade fair in Lyon to study the possibility of a development in the industrial sector. ” We feel that there is a big need and a big market in this sector, where there are processes that emit a lot of pollutants with technologies that do not bring satisfaction today.i” comments Manon Vaillant. Similarly, PureNat will also be represented at the International Aeronautics and Space Show in Le Bourget in June.
Thanks to this fundraising, the two partners have recruited four people, and hope to increase to ten employees by the end of the year. The objective for 2025 is to reach between 20 and 25 employees who would work from a factory in New Aquitaine.
PureNat (2020)
- 6 employees
- CA: 0€
- 73 rue de Mirambeau, 64600 Anglet
