Exeter-based, Tattva, is accelerating the shift to sustainable construction with a carbon-negative building material that grows in just 10 days. With tailored business growth support from Innovate UK, the company has secured a £650,000 Innovate UK grant, raised £215,000 in private investment, grown its team from two to six, filed key patents, and established a prototype demonstration with Catnic, part of the Tata Steel Group, that is now helping scale the innovation for global use.
Founded in 2024, Tattva is a tech company that has developed a new process to grow building materials, based on how microscopic organisms in nature absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into solid rock.
By mimicking this process, Tattva produces materials that are strong, insulating, translucent and remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow. Unlike conventional materials, which emit carbon dioxide, Tattva’s process creates net-positive impact from the start.
Prantar Tamuli, Founder and CEO at Tattva, says: “Our material changes how the world can think about construction. It delivers the strength of brick, the insulation of polystyrene foam and the light-transmitting qualities of glass, all while actively removing carbon from the atmosphere as it grows. That combination means buildings can be both high-performing and genuinely climate-positive.”
Funding and IP support power scale-up
Tattva began working with Innovate UK Business Growth in September 2024. Following a detailed needs assessment, Innovation and Growth Specialist, Vince McConville, developed a tailored action plan with the company, focused on securing funding, strengthening its intellectual property (IP) and preparing for manufacturing scale-up. Vince introduced a funding and finance specialist from the Innovate UK Business Growth network of specialist advisors, who provided strategic feedback on a revised application. To protect its innovation and prepare for future licensing, Vince recommended an IP Audit – a part-funded offering available to Innovate UK Business Growth clients through the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). The audit helped assess Tattva’s intangible assets and define a scalable IP strategy. The grant also enabled the business to begin filing patents for its bioengineering processes.
Prantar explains: “The funding is giving us the runway to accelerate every part of the business. We were able to grow the team, build out our pilot facility and fast-track our development roadmap. It also gave us the confidence to engage with partners and investors at a much earlier stage.”
The company also raised £215,000 in private investment, providing additional resources to accelerate product development, strengthen its operations and prepare for future commercial partnerships.
Read the full news release here.
