Startup Sandbox graduate lands private financing and NSF grant to launch its compostable foam packaging alternatives
11 Mar 2020
Cruz Foam, a graduate of Startup Sandbox in Santa Cruz that creates biodegradable packaging, announced today that it has completed a $1.2 million seed round from private financiers and a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The company produces compostable foam packaging made of seafood industry waste material. Early adopters of their eco-friendly solutions include consumer-packaged goods, electronics, automotive and shipping companies. Cruz Foam products are available through existing supply chains at costs similar to traditional foam packaging that require several hundreds of years to break down in landfills.
“Cruz Foam is a shining example of how Santa Cruz companies lead, to create a better future for our planet and for future generations. I’m incredibly excited to be working with a cool company that is innovating on a cutting edge in partnership with the universe.” Toby Corey, New Cruz Foam board member
The financing is being used by Cruz Foam to commercially deploy its patent-pending packaging solutions. The round is timely as new regulations in dozens of US cities are banning EPS and petroleum-based materials in food service, shipping and other industry sectors. As a result, companies must find cost-effective, scalable, and bio-friendly packaging solutions.
“Our partner trials have gone extremely well and the feedback we are getting across industries is very strong. These initial funds will enable us to meet our next milestones as we scale with our industry partners.” John Felts, CEO, Cruz Foam
Cruz Foam recently moved from Startup Sandbox on Natural Bridges Drive to the Wrigley Building on Mission Street in Santa Cruz, which is part of the revitalization of the city’s Westside office and industrial parks. For more details, see this article at Santa Cruz Tech Beat.
