Gothenburg startup Adsorbi, a CleanTech research-based spinout from Chalmers University of Technology, has raised €1 million in funding for its cellulose-based air purification material.
Investors include Metsä Spring, Chalmers Ventures, Jovitech Invest, and a grant from Sweden’s Innovation Agency. The capital will be used to construct and operate a pilot plant in Gothenburg, develop new products, and grow its customer base.
“We’re grateful to our investors for their continued support. With the funding we will establish pilot production, a crucial step for scaling Adsorbi. Air pollutant control is needed in many markets, and we’re ready to offer a commercial solution that ensures the air we breathe is clean without extensive use of fossil-based materials,” says Hanna Johansson, CEO of Adsorbi.
Founded in 2022 by Hanna Johansson and Kinga Grenda, Adsorbi is a research-based company that uses cellulose from the Nordic forest to help air purification companies to capture gaseous air pollutants. Adsorbi’s innovative material was first developed for art conservation through extensive research at the Department of Applied Chemistry and in the EU-funded project APACHE. The project was focused on using chemistry to find smart and long-term solutions for art conservation.
The main challenge in art conservation is gaseous pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are emitted from the objects themselves and results in accelerated deterioration. The Adsorbi material was developed to capture VOCs in art conservation and preserve cultural heritage. Since then, the company has broadened the scope of pollutant removal to other industries.
In October 2024, the EU approved the new Ambient Air Quality Directive. The directive prioritises public health by introducing stricter air quality standards for key pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide – all known to cause respiratory issues. The new limits, to be achieved by 2030, bring EU standards closer to the WHO air quality guidelines, pushing businesses into a race to find new air filtering solutions.
According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution killed over 3.2 million people in 2020. Many ailments, such as asthma, heart disease, and lung cancers, can be caused by bad air quality. As people in industrialised nations spend up to 80–90% of their time indoors, maintaining air quality is crucial to keeping people’s health intact – argues Adsorbi.
Adsorbi’s high-performing material, derived from Nordic tree cellulose, is designed for targeted pollutant capture, including key nitrogen oxides like nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – major contributors to air pollution – as well as acids and aldehydes. Aldehydes are commonly found in cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning products, odourant dispensers, and grooming aids.
This means Adsorbi’s patented material can be used wherever gaseous air pollutants are a problem – in air filters, products that remove odours, and in museums to protect artefacts and works of art.
Unlike the current market standard, which is activated carbon, Adsorbi’s material claims to last longer, doesn’t release any hazardous VOCs back into the air, is water and fire-resistant, and changes colour to indicate when it needs to be replaced. Adsorbi also says it is a more energy-efficient alternative, generating around 50% lower CO2 emissions – 3.5 kg CO2 per kilogram of material – compared to activated carbon, which has an emission factor of 7.5 kg CO2 per kilogram of material.
“We joined Adsorbi’s journey 1.5 years ago. The company has achieved all the goals agreed upon at the time and even surprised us investors positively in a few areas. The plan for the company’s next phase was very logical, and we are excited to support its implementation. Their development of a pulp-based new product makes them particularly relevant to Metsä Group’s mission. With Adsorbi in our portfolio, we move closer to replacing fossil-based materials in everyday applications,” says Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring.
Additionally, Adsorbi recently announced its partnership with Icebug, a world leader in grip footwear, and Smellwell, launching a new generation of commercial shoe deodoriser inserts. The company has also entered collaborations with multinational air filtration companies and launched several other products, including air fresheners for homes and sustainable art conservation products.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/01/from-art-conservation-to-air-purification-cleantech-adsorbi-secures-e1-million-to-build-pilot-plant/
