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§ Private Profile · London, United Kingdom
Compostable packaging solutions to eliminate plastic waste.
Shellworks develops and manufactures compostable packaging solutions, utilizing its proprietary bio-based material, Vivomer. This sustainable alternative to conventional plastics is created by microbes fermenting second-generation feedstocks. Vivomer offers stability during product use yet fully biodegrades upon disposal, directly addressing the environmental impact of plastic waste.
Founded in 2019 by Insiya Jafferjee and Amir Afshar, Shellworks emerged from the critical need for high-performing, plastic-free alternatives. Their objective is to develop materials competitive with traditional options in functionality and cost, enabling brands to transition from fossil-based plastics and align with environmental regulations.
The company primarily serves beauty and personal care brands, offering home-compostable droppers and other bio-material packaging components. Shellworks' vision positions Vivomer as the industrial standard for bio-based materials, proving plant-derived solutions are scalable and cost-competitive. This empowers brands to achieve circular packaging systems.
Shellworks has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Shellworks has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Shellworks is a London-based TechBio company founded in 2019 that develops Vivomer, a bio-based, home-compostable polymer made from waste biomass like plants via fermentation, serving as a scalable alternative to single-use fossil-based plastics.[1][2][3][5] It targets brands seeking to reduce plastic footprints in packaging for sectors like cosmetics, skincare, and food, solving the environmental crisis of non-recyclable plastics—where 90% of plastics ever made remain unrecycled—by enabling products that biodegrade fully in home compost, industrial settings, marine environments, or landfills without microplastics or toxins.[3][5] The company has replaced over 900,000 plastic units, raised $8M from investors like LocalGlobe and Founder Collective, and powers products for brands including Unilever's Wild Cosmetics, demonstrating strong growth through partnerships and awards like the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award for co-founder Insiya Jafferjee.[3][4]
Shellworks was co-founded in 2019 by Insiya Jafferjee and Amir Ashfar in London, UK, emerging from a breakthrough method to transform seafood waste—like chitin from shells—into biodegradable materials using vinegar and biopolymers, inspired by nature's own processes.[1][2][3] Jafferjee, a design-led innovator, has emphasized reimagining food systems free from single-use plastics, drawing on optimism for collective sustainability action; the team iterated relentlessly at HQ, running in-house composting with food waste for real-world testing.[2][4][5] Early traction came via collaborations like Wild Cosmetics for liquid refills and recognition in UNEP reports as a plastic substitute, building to milestones like $8M funding and 900,000+ units replaced.[3][4]
Shellworks rides the anti-plastic pollution wave in materials science, fueled by regulatory pressures like the UNEP Plastic Pollution Treaty (where Vivomer is cited as a substitute) and global bans on single-use plastics, aligning with cleantech trends toward bio-based alternatives amid 90% plastic recycling failure.[1][3][4] Timing is ideal post-2020 boom in bioplastics startups, with Shellworks differentiating via scalable, multi-environment breakdown versus niche competitors, influencing ecosystems by enabling brands' net-zero goals—e.g., Unilever adoption accelerates mainstream shift from petroleum to waste-biomass materials.[1][3][4] It contributes to circular economy momentum, powering marine expos and awards that amplify bio-innovation, positioning TechBio as key to waste-free futures in packaging-heavy industries like cosmetics and food.[2][4]
Shellworks is primed for expansion with recent launches like compostable pipette droppers (June 2025) and expo presence (UN Ocean Forum March 2025), likely scaling Vivomer via deeper brand partnerships and further funding to hit industrial volumes.[2][4] Trends like treaty enforcement, rising ESG mandates, and biomass tech advances will propel it, evolving from niche innovator to ecosystem shaper—potentially rivaling Apeel's $2B valuation by replacing billions of plastic units globally.[1][4] As Jafferjee notes, collective action via scalable nature-mimicking materials like Vivomer will redefine packaging, tying back to their mission: reimagining a non-toxic, waste-free world from day one.[2][5]
Shellworks has raised $21.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series A in March 2026.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2026 | $15M Series A | Félix Mounier | Founder Collective, JamJar Investments, LocalGlobe, Third Sphere | Announced |
| May 1, 2022 | $6M Seed | Ferdi Sigona | Courtside Ventures, EKA Ventures, Founder Collective, Foundry Group, Inventure, Kindred Capital VC, Octopus Ventures, Operator Partners, Pink Salt Ventures, Plus Venture Capital, Rethink Capital Partners, SOSV, Speedinvest, Thrive Capital, Tusk Venture Partners, Vala Capital, Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore, Errol Damelin, Freddy Macnamara, IAN Hogarth, Jeremy YAP, Josefin Landgård, Kevin Love, TOM Blomfield, Bryan Meehan, Deepali Nangia, Grant Aarons, Julien Callede | Announced |
Shellworks has raised $21.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Shellworks's investors include Félix Mounier, Founder Collective, JamJar Investments, LocalGlobe, Third Sphere, Ferdi Sigona, Courtside Ventures, Eka Ventures, Foundry Group, Inventure, Kindred Capital VC, Octopus Ventures.