BERTHOUD, U.S.: Industrial waste and carbon black production collectively drive millions of tons of pollutants into the air, water, and soil each year—but Living Ink, recognizing the urgency to address these environmental challenges, has secured a $3 million investment to advance its scalable, environmentally sustainable solutions across diverse industries.
This funding will enable Living Ink to seamlessly replace conventional, petroleum-derived carbon black—a vital ingredient in everyday products like inks, paints, asphalt, cosmetics, fabric and plastics—by transforming algae and other biomass waste into their carbon-negative, renewable Algae Black pigment. This process not only repurposes and diverts waste away from landfills but also reduces brands’ reliance on pollutive supply chain processes.
Additionally, the raise supports the company's strategic expansion into new starting biomass feedstocks within their current process and the construction of an on-site pilot production facility designed for future deployment at targeted biowaste production sites across North America. This facility will demonstrate the critical role of vertical integration and new, low-cost feedstock acquisition in achieving price parity for Living Ink’s black pigments. Furthermore, the pilot facility will establish a reliable domestic supply chain of waste biomass, enabling the company to scale production to meet industry demands.
"Evergreen Climate Innovations is excited to be a part of Living Ink’s round alongside a distinguished group of investors. The company’s carbon-negative, bio-based inks and pigments offer a cost-competitive option for consumer brands seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of their products and packaging. We have very high confidence in the impressive and talented Living Ink team and look forward to supporting them on their next phase of growth,” said Evergreen Managing Director, Paul Seidler.
By processing waste feedstocks on-site, this integrated approach will significantly reduce costs, offering brands and manufacturers a more affordable path to adopt Algae Ink throughout their supply chains, while reinforcing Living Ink’s commitment to sustainable innovation. This development stage will pave the way for future global biomass sourcing and co-location (or near-location) of production facilities with biomass suppliers, further minimizing shipping and production expenses and emissions.
This investment enables Living Ink's feedstock-agnostic approach, addressing biological waste disposal challenges across numerous industries. The company will now integrate diverse biomass waste inputs from sectors including food and beverage, precision fermentation, anaerobic digestion, and algae cultivation and disposal. This funding will accelerate the development and integration of alternative feedstocks, reducing costs for customers and expanding Living Ink's innovative product range available to brands and their manufacturers.
Recently, Living Ink was also accepted into Cohort 6 of the 100+ Accelerator led by AB inBev and other global partners Coca-Cola, Danone, Colgate-Palmolive, and Unilever. Through the 100+ Accelerator, Living Ink is collaborating with AB InBev to transform AB InBev's waste biomass into sustainable Algae Black pigments. This initiative, backed by accelerator funding, will expedite the development of this innovative process, while also demonstrating the technology at pilot scale.
“LivingInk is revolutionizing sustainable materials with its groundbreaking algae-based ink technology. Their commitment to innovation and eco-friendly solutions aligns perfectly with our vision for investing in companies that will shape the future.” - John Soukas, CEO and Co-founder at Norfolk Green Ventures
Samples of Algae Black dry pigment and Algae Ink liquid printing inks are displayed in the lab alongside petri dishes of various biomass feedstocks and finished fabric and PET products, tinted black by the algae-based pigment.
“We’re excited to have successfully completed our fundraising and to welcome an incredible group of investors who bring valuable expertise to our journey toward global scale. After years of developing our idea, intellectual property, and product, we’re now focused on driving down costs and demonstrating market impact.” - Scott Fulbright, Living Ink Technologies CEO & Co-founder
Their growing product lines of Algae Black pigments and Algae Ink black ink formulations are already used in a wide variety of commercial color applications including in packaging, apparel, footwear inks, fabric dyeing, plastics, paints, coatings, and rubbers. Living Ink has launched trims, packaging, or apparel products with brands such as Ganni, Patagonia, Nike, Coach, New Balance, Kathmandu, O’Neill and many other industrial-scale adopters.
About Living Ink Technologies: Living Ink is an innovative materials company that specializes in transforming biomass waste into renewable, carbon-negative colorants. The company's flagship product, Algae Black pigment, offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel-derived carbon black.
About Evergreen Climate Innovations (formerly Clean Energy Trust): Evergreen Climate Innovations provides catalytic capital and support to entrepreneurs and startups that bring impactful climate technologies to market. The nonprofit pioneered its 501vc® Investment Fund to align philanthropic and corporate contributions to deliver environmental, economic, and social impact. Evergreen advances and expands access to innovation across the Greater Midwest and cultivates an ecosystem of investors, donors, and collaborators. For over a decade, Evergreen Climate Innovations has invested in startups that have raised $54 for every $1 invested. Learn more at evergreeninno.org
About Norfolk Green Ventures: Norfolk Green Ventures is a private investment firm committed to unlocking the potential of the ocean, with a focus on seaweed and blue tech innovation. They believe that seaweed will be the most transformative crop of our lifetime and a catalyst for the emerging blue economy. Its unparalleled ability to sequester carbon and nutrients makes it a powerful tool in tackling climate challenges. From food security and sustainable textiles to methane reduction in livestock and eliminating microplastics, ocean-based solutions are reshaping industries and creating immense economic opportunities. Their portfolio includes pioneering companies like Keel Labs, Living Ink, Oceanium, Jaia Robotics and Salmonics. They invest with conviction, knowing that ocean innovation has the potential to deliver both exceptional returns and lasting environmental impact.
