Sky Ocean Ventures invests in 10 innovative UK businesses fighting the plastics epidemic

Sky Ocean Ventures has teamed up with the Government to invest in ten UK companies that have identified innovative solutions to solving the ocean plastics crisis. The ideas range from biodegradable water bottles and packaging made from seaweed, right through to an ingenious way of reducing the plastic microfibre waste that comes from the clothes we wear – by developing clothes that grow with children.

Launched in March 2018, Sky Ocean Ventures is a £25m impact investment fund committed to accelerating young companies and entrepreneurs who are developing ideas that can help turn off the plastics tap. It’s part of Sky’s Bigger Picture initiative and is the solutions arm of the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign, which shines a spotlight on the issues that affect ocean health and inspires behaviour change.

This year, Sky Ocean Ventures and Innovate UK – which is the Government’s innovation agency - announced a £6m joint funding commitment in the global battle against plastic pollution. These 10 UK companies are the first to be funded under the commitment.

Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive, Sky, said: “At Sky we recognise that we have a responsibility beyond our business. That’s why we’re supporting these ten innovators through Sky Ocean Ventures, the impact investment fund we setup as part of our commitment to help create a better and plastic-free future for our oceans. By investing in innovative new products and materials we will help turn off the plastics tap.”

The recipients of the funding all have a pioneering idea in either material innovation, circular economy or responsible consumption.

Business Secretary, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Trailblazing UK businesses are giving us all the choice to buy more sustainable clothing, packaging and cosmetics that are better for our environment.

"Consumers have shown they are keen for green and we’re committed to championing those innovative companies that lead the way in this, protecting the planet while at the same time opening up huge opportunities for the UK economy.”

The first investment was awarded to Naturbeads, a company working to manufacture a replacement to the ocean-polluting microbeads that, despite initial bans in “rinse-off”cosmetics, are found in many personal and home care products and paints.  

The other nine companies to receive funding are*:       

• Bagboard, London
• Blue Green Vision, Northumberland
• Choose Water, Edinburgh
• DAME, London
• Flexi-Hex, Cornwall
• HD Wool, West Yorkshire
• Oceanium, Oban, Scotland
•  Petit Pli, London
• And one biotech that is not disclosing its work until the publication of its scientific discovery later this year…

- ENDS –

Notes to editors

Further details on the ten investments

Naturbeads: Naturbeads manufacture a biodegradable alternative to plastic microbeads that could reduce micro plastic pollution in the oceans. The technology to create the cellulose microbeads was developed at the University of Bath by Professors Janet Scott and Davide Mattia from the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies in 2017. Professors Scott and Mattia launched Naturbeads in 2018 to commercialise the technology together with Dr Giovanna Laudisio, CEO of the company.

An estimated 30,000 tonnes of microplastics from consumer products end up in our world’s oceans every year. This is equivalent to three times the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or the plastic pollution generated by 5 billion plastic bottles. These ocean-polluting microbeads were recently banned by the Government from rinse-off products but are still found in many other personal and home care products and paints. Some of these microplastics are eaten by marine life, passing up the food chain and ending up on our own plates.

Petit Pli: London. Instagram/Facebook: @petit.pli Twitter: @PetitPli

Petit Pli is a material innovation and Fash-Tech start-up engineering clothes that grow with children. Children grow seven sizes in their first two years which equates to a lot of waste clothing. Graduate Aeronautical Engineer Ryan Mario Yasin founded the company in 2017 with the vision of designing innovative and sustainable garments for children. The designs are made from recycled plastic bottles and draw inspiration from deployable nano-structure satellites and his new-born nephew Viggo.

HD Wool: Yorkshire. Twitter: @HD_Wool

Established in 1888 H. Dawson have supplied wool around the world for 130 years. They’re now developing HD Wool, an advanced wool to be used as a replacement to synthetic polyester insulation that shed microfibres which pollute our oceans and rivers, an issue highlighted by the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Campaign for Wool.

Flexi-Hex London. Twitter: @FlexiHex

Founders Sam and Will Boex recognised the impact that single use plastic was having on their local and the world’s marine environment. Their passion for surfing and their personal experience of transporting boards around the globe inspired them to create a sustainable packaging sleeve for the board sports industry. They’re now expanding the 100% recyclable product into other industries to reduce our dependence on bubble wrap.

Oceanium: Oban, Scotland. Twitter: @KScofieldSeal

Karen Scofield Seal and Dr Charlie Bavington founded the social-impact, bio-tech business in 2018 with the mission to develop innovative seaweed-based products including marine-safe biopackaging.  Based at the European Marine Science Park in Oban, Oceanium is using innovative biorefinery methods in order to meet demand for sustainable packaging and food products whilst enabling the sustainable growth of the seaweed cultivation industry in the UK/EU.   

Choose Water: Edinburgh. Instagram: @choosewater

Choose Water was founded by James Longcroft after visiting The Gambia and being hit by an awareness of our own wastefulness. The plastic-free, biodegradable water bottle is made entirely from sustainable materials which will degrade within a year, with proceeds being donated to Water for Africa. Choose Water received an initial investment from Sky Ocean Ventures in July 2018.

Bagboard: London. Twitter: @bagboard

Bagboard is a new advertising platform that is on the planet’s side. They combine digital and out of home advertising whilst offering a solution to single-use plastic bags. The business turns reusable paper bags into advertising space, distributing them for free across a network of 2,000 independent retailers in London. Their app incentivises consumers to engage digitally in return for personal and social rewards, bringing brands and consumers together to drive sustainability. The platform launches this autumn.

DAME: London. Twitter/Instagram: @DAMEforGood

Celia Pool and Alec Mills ran a period subscription service, delivering to thousands of women around the UK. It was here they saw first-hand the plastic and chemicals that go into tampons.

Believing women and planet deserve better they launched their own sustainable tampon brand DAME, and with it the world’s first reusable applicator. 

Blue Green Vision: Northumberland

Blue Green Vision provide spectrometers, illumination systems that can vastly improve recycling of plastics by sorting by type accurately.  This easily adoptable technology that can revolutionise our recycling value chain.

An additional biotech company

This company is not disclosing its work until the publication of its scientific discovery - planned for later this year.

For more information please contact:

Sian Parry

Sky

07585242821

Sian.Parry@sky.uk

About Sky
With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. That’s why we believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community.

Our Bigger Picture strategy looks at the issues that are most material to us, and talk to our people, customers and partners. That means being responsible in how we go about our business, acting on issues that matter, inspiring young people to be their best and inspiring others to take action.

We believe we can use our voice to effect real change on the critical issue of ocean health. That’s why we launched Sky Ocean Rescue in 2017. The campaign has reached millions across Europe, we’re on track to be free of single-use plastic by 2020 and we’re investing £25million over five years in ocean-saving tech with our impact investment fund, Sky Ocean Ventures.