Anzen Industries, a UK-based deeptech startup developing next-generation building blocks for the $5 trillion global chemicals industry, has raised $2.2 million (£1.7 million) in a pre-seed funding round. The investment will help the company transform complex chemical manufacturing and strengthen industrial supply chain resilience through its biomanufacturing innovation.
Pre-seed round backs US expansion and first plant
The pre-seed round was led by LocalGlobe and Creator Fund, with participation from strategic angel investors across the UK, Europe, and the US. Importantly, the funding will support Anzen Industries’ strategic shift of operations to the United States—one of the world’s largest chemical manufacturing markets—where the company plans to establish its first manufacturing facility. In parallel, Anzen Industries will actively pursue new industrial collaborations and partnerships as it scales its technology and commercial footprint.
California facility to produce high-value molecules
As part of its US expansion, Anzen Industries will set up its first biomanufacturing facility in California. Once operational, the plant will manufacture high-value, critical molecules used as active ingredients in cosmetics, fragrances, and food products. In addition, the facility will provide innovative solutions for critical minerals processing, broadening the company’s industrial relevance.
CEO highlights strategic shift to the US
Amy Locks, CEO and co-founder of Anzen Industries, said Europe’s scientific ecosystem played a crucial role in the company’s early journey. “Europe’s strong scientific heritage and support enabled us, as science-based founders, to take our breakthrough from discovery to a viable commercial venture. As we enter the next phase of growth, the US offers a more advanced industrial and innovation ecosystem, making it the ideal environment to scale Anzen’s technology globally,” she said.
Cell-free biomanufacturing at the core
Founded by scientists Amy Locks and Pedro Lovatt Garcia, Anzen Industries combines proprietary enzyme reactor technology, advanced immobilisation techniques, and AI-driven design to redefine how critical molecules are made. By engineering molecular resilience, the company aims to make complex chemical manufacturing more efficient, cost-effective, and faster—ultimately accelerating time to market.
Limitations of traditional manufacturing approaches
Currently, the production of high-value chemical molecules faces multiple constraints. Traditional organic synthesis is often complex and inefficient. Meanwhile, plant extraction depends heavily on variable harvests and global supply chains. Although fermentation is widely used, it requires extensive infrastructure and downstream processing, leading to high capital costs when scaling.
First-principles approach enables agile scaling
In contrast, Anzen Industries adopts a first-principles approach by using isolated, highly precise, and tunable enzymes for biochemical reactions. The company immobilises these enzymes in small, modular reactors, allowing reactions to occur outside the cell. As a result, manufacturing becomes more agile, scalable, and cost-efficient, while also enhancing supply chain sovereignty for critical complex chemicals.
CTO outlines vision for cell-free manufacturing
Pedro Lovatt Garcia, co-founder and CTO, said the company believes cell-free systems represent the future of manufacturing. “If enzymes can remain robust outside the cell, we can perform the same reactions with a fraction of the infrastructure, energy, and cost. Looking ahead, we envision Anzen Industries leading the creation of entirely new molecules. Humanity has explored only about 1% of nature’s bioactive molecules, and AI will help uncover the remaining 99% to unlock new products across industries,” he said.
Investors back a generational shift in manufacturing
Julia Hawkins, General Partner at LocalGlobe, said Anzen is tackling one of the defining industrial challenges of the decade. “Re-industrialisation is a defining wave, and manufacturing is where it hits hardest. Anzen is reimagining how critical molecules are made from first principles, restoring resilience, speed, and sovereignty to global supply chains,” she said.
Jamie Macfarlane, CEO of Creator Fund, added that enzymes remain an underutilised industrial resource. “Less than 1% of known enzymes are used in industry. Amy and Pedro bring unmatched expertise in enzyme design and stabilisation, and we believe they have the potential to build the world’s defining enzyme company,” he said.
Strategic angel participation strengthens global outlook
As per the press release, in addition to institutional investors, the round attracted strategic angels including Konstantin von Unger, Vice Chairman of Henkel’s Shareholder Committee, and early-stage investor Cory Levy. Their participation further reinforces Anzen Industries’ ambition to reshape chemical manufacturing and build resilient, future-ready supply chains at a global scale.
