Bristol-based startup Ponda has raised $2.4m (£1.8m) in seed funding to grow BioPuff, its plant-based, regenerative insulation, and expand its wetland farming network across Europe.
Ponda makes biomaterials crafted from regenerative wetland fibres that are designed to help brands reduce impact, restore ecosystems and build truly responsible products.
Around the world, drained peatlands release two gigatonnes of emissions each year and are increasingly vulnerable to flooding.
By working with landowners to rewet degraded peatlands and plant typha – more commonly known as cattail or bulrush – Ponda says it is helping create landscapes that store carbon, improve flood resilience, support biodiversity, and provide farmers with a reliable new crop
Over the next 18 months, the new investment will help Ponda to increase its production capacity, moving BioPuff from pilot scale to commercial scale; strengthen its network of wetland growers across Europe, regenerating peatlands through paludiculture; and launch commercial BioPuff lines for autumn/winter 2026 fashion collections.
Ponda has partnered with brands including Berghaus, Stella McCartney, Parley for the Oceans and Sheep Inc to prototype garments and test BioPuff in real-world conditions.
The seed round was co-led by Faber VC and Counteract, with support from PDS Ventures, Evenlode Impact and the Royal College of Art.
“Every jacket filled with BioPuff does not just avoid emissions,” says Julian Ellis-Brown, CEO and co-founder at Ponda. “It directly funds peatland restoration, one of the planet’s most powerful carbon sinks.”
With previous grants and awards from Innovate UK, the H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award and the Terra Carta Design Lab, Ponda’s total funding now stands at $6.5m (£4.8m).
