Lingrove is a technology company.
Lingrove is the team behind Ekoa, creating ultra-sustainable, healthy, and high-performance materials for the built environment and automotive interiors.
Lingrove has raised $5.3M across 2 funding rounds.
Lingrove has raised $5.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Lingrove has raised $5.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Lingrove's investors include 7percent Ventures, Aniq Kassam, Floodgate, Helium-3 Ventures, Innovation Works, LombardStreet Ventures, M34 Capital, SeaX Ventures, Vertex Ventures HC, Y Combinator, Bob Muglia, DJ Patil.
# Lingrove: A Materials Technology Company
Lingrove is a materials technology company, not a traditional software or digital technology firm. Founded in 2013 and based in San Rafael, California, Lingrove designs, engineers, and manufactures Ekoa®, a high-performance composite material made from carbon-negative natural fibers and bio-resins that replaces wood, plastics, metals, and high-pressure laminates in interior applications[1][2].
Lingrove addresses a critical sustainability challenge: the carbon-intensive nature of traditional interior materials. The company's flagship product, Ekoa®, is manufactured from renewable flax fibers that sequester 1.4 tons of CO2 for every ton of fiber used[3]. The material is lighter than carbon fiber, stiffer than fiberglass, and delivers a wood-grain aesthetic comparable to old-growth timber while maintaining superior performance characteristics[4].
The company serves architects, product designers, automotive OEMs, and industrial manufacturers seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional materials[3]. Ekoa® is suitable for diverse applications including automotive dashboards, furniture, flooring, walls, and ceilings[2]. Lingrove's growth momentum has been strong—the company raised $16.18M in total funding as of its last update, with Series A backing from Diamond Edge Ventures (the corporate venture arm of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)[1][2].
Lingrove operates at the intersection of materials science, climate tech, and circular economy innovation. The company exemplifies a broader shift toward "naturetech"—leveraging biological and renewable resources with novel chemistries to solve sustainability challenges[2]. This trend gains urgency as industries face regulatory pressure and consumer demand for carbon-neutral products.
The timing is particularly favorable: major automotive and furniture manufacturers are racing to meet climate commitments, creating substantial demand for drop-in replacements for carbon-intensive materials. Lingrove's backing by Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings—a global materials conglomerate—signals that established industrial players recognize the strategic importance of bio-based composites[2][3].
Lingrove is positioned to capture significant market share in the multi-billion-dollar interior materials sector as sustainability transitions from niche preference to regulatory requirement. The company's ability to deliver performance parity with traditional materials while reducing environmental impact addresses a genuine market gap.
Key factors shaping the company's trajectory include scaling manufacturing capacity to meet demand, expanding into new applications (particularly automotive interiors), and potentially licensing its technology to larger material manufacturers. As Joe Luttwak, the company's CEO, noted, "Soon every car, furniture, and product designer will be able to replace wood and plastics"[2]—a vision that hinges on Lingrove's ability to achieve cost parity and production scale with incumbent materials.
Lingrove has raised $5.3M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Series A in November 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2021 | $5.0M Series A | 7percent Ventures, Aniq Kassam, Floodgate, Helium-3 Ventures, Innovation Works, LombardStreet Ventures, M34 Capital, SeaX Ventures, Vertex Ventures HC, Y Combinator, Bob Muglia, DJ Patil, Phil Libin | |
| Nov 1, 2017 | $250K Seed | Mayfield |