Cypris Materials: Sustainability Enabled by Structural Color
Imagine a world without color. Looks a lot different, right (or at least like the old black & white movies)? Color adds richness, vibrancy, personality, and so much more to life. Think about the last time you went on a hike or to the grocery store. You might have described the vibrant shades of wildflowers on either side of the hiking trail. While at the store, you might have searched for the most perfect shade of red when selecting apples.
Color also plays an integral role in shaping culture and business. It influences consumer behavior, including purchasing decisions, perception, and more. For example, Pantone annually names a color of the year (2022 is Very Peri for reference) and colors like Millennial Pink have come to define an entire generation, aesthetic, and mood. You might have been drawn to purchase a certain car, pack of cookies, or item of clothing because of your draw to its color over another brand’s option.
However, the creation of colors at present is not simple, and it even crosses into problematic for a number of reasons. First, many of the traditional methods use toxic chemicals; for example, pigments can contain contaminants such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, whereas some dyes degrade into dangerous materials that are carcinogenic or allergenic. In addition, some methods of producing colorants involve child labor or are non-vegan based. Finally, some estimates suggest that colorants are responsible for as much as 25% of greenhouse gasses [based on a study conducted by the Swedish Paint and Printing Ink Makers’ Association]. One of our missions at Better Ventures is to back startups that are transforming traditional processes into cleaner, safer alternatives that will preserve our planet for years to come.
That’s why we’re excited to announce our latest investment in Cypris Materials, a startup that is developing high-performance sustainable colors using a process inspired by nature. Cypris utilizes an approach called structural color where light is refracted based on the nanostructure of a surface. The company named itself after the Cypris Morpho butterfly, which gets the vivid blue on its wings from the same process.
Cypris unlocks the power of color with their proprietary technology whereby polymers self-assemble into structured coatings and reflect light spectra based on the tuning of those polymers. From there, the resulting colorants range across the full red-green-blue color spectrum. Importantly, the structural color technology is “drop-in” ready for customers, which enables onsite formulation without the need for specialized equipment. Cypris is the only solution on the market providing this ease of use. In addition, their approach allows for finer tunability of colors, which translates into a wider spectrum of colors, and thus more brand and product differentiation for businesses. Cypris is working on sustainable colors for a number of industrial applications and is already working with several customers.
Co-founders Ryan Pearson (CEO) and Matt Ryan (CTO) form an impressive team with the right skill sets to build a world-changing company. Ryan has a PhD in materials chemistry from Colorado State University (CSU) and has received a number of awards including Forbes 30 under 30 — Energy Recognition. He’s successfully transitioned from the technical lead at Cypris to head up product, marketing, sales, and business development. Matt also holds a PhD in materials chemistry from CSU and has expertise in materials science, synthetic polymer chemistry, and catalysis. He was also recognized as a Forbes 30 under 30 for energy.
Not only are both founders highly technical, but they are able to translate the complex process of structural color in a way that is accessible for those unfamiliar with the process. Meeting the team at their Alameda lab was a highlight, as we could see the level of expertise, passion, and intelligence that investors can only hope for in a founding team. Matt and Ryan have been working together for three years, and we can’t wait to see how their collaboration continues to strengthen the company.
We’re excited about Cypris’ impact on the world of color and beyond. With the advent of this structural color technology, there is now a solution on the market that eliminates dangerous contaminants, answers the growing demand of carbon conscious consumers, and increases differentiation along the spectrum when designing color.
Better Ventures is the amplifier of essential science and technology startups. We’ve been investing in mission-driven companies since 2011. We form conviction at the earliest stages of venture and write checks of $500K to $1.5M at the pre-seed and seed stages, reserving for follow-on at Series A and beyond. Article co-authored by Katie Andresen.
