Keane said the company is working to quintuple production at its pilot plant. Modern Synthesis recently closed a $5.5 million funding round, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. The round was led by Extantia Capital with participation from Artesian and Collaborative Fund.
Though sneakers, clothing, and handbags are likely applications for Modern Synthesis’s materials, Keane is also looking into more sci-fi uses like smart textiles with embedded electronics and more prosaic ones like car dashboards.
“Cellulosic materials don’t melt like synthetics do,” she said. “If you think about car dashboards, how it starts to melt when you sit in the sun too long. Our materials won’t do that.”