Unreasonable Impact announces new roster of ventures for the 2025 UK & Europe programme
● Unreasonable Impact adds 14 ventures tackling climate and social issues to its 2025 UK & Europe programme.
● The initiative, run by Barclays and Unreasonable Group since 2016, helps scale growth-stage businesses through mentoring and a network of support.
● The 14 companies joining this year’s programme have collectively raised over $350 million in funding.
London, 12 March 2025: Unreasonable Impact, a strategic partnership between Unreasonable Group and Barclays, has introduced the newest cohort of ventures selected for its UK & Europe programme.
This year’s ventures are working across biodiversity monitoring, sustainable materials, and energy efficiency. Among them are:
● Material Evolution – Material Evolution develops low-carbon cement alternatives using AI-driven alkali fusion technology, reducing emissions by 85% compared to conventional methods. Liz Gilligan, co-founder and CEO, combines her expertise in sustainable concrete and extensive practical experience to lead the company’s mission to create industry-standard eco-friendly building materials.
● Onego Bio – Onego Bio produces Bioalbumen®, an animal-free egg protein made through precision fermentation, offering an alternative to traditional egg whites. Product Bioalbumen® outperforms traditional egg white powder in third-party tests. CEO Maija Itkonen, a seasoned entrepreneur and former industrial designer, is leading the company’s push to disrupt the $300 billion egg market with sustainable and innovative solutions.
● Orbital Marine Power – Orbital Marine Power develops floating tidal turbines designed to generate predictable, low-carbon electricity. CEO Andrew Scott, with over 20 years of experience in renewable energy, directs the company’s efforts to scale tidal power and contribute to global energy transitions.
50% of this year's cohort are either female-led or founded by individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Collectively, they have raised over $350 million to date and generated $46 million in revenue in 2024.
During the programme, entrepreneurs will work closely with mentors, investors, and industry experts to tackle challenges they face, whether in scaling their operations, refining their business models, or navigating industry complexities. This includes a week in residence, where they will take part in focused masterclasses, industry deep dives, and investor sessions to gain insights and connections that support their long-term growth. Post-programme, companies will continue to receive access to specialist advice from over 1,500 mentors, many of whom are Barclays colleagues, and connections to over 2,000 investors, through the Unreasonable community.
Supporting entrepreneurs to scale solutions for a sustainable future
Barclays and Unreasonable share the belief that high-growth entrepreneurs, driven by technology and innovation, are well-positioned to address global sustainability challenges while creating the jobs of the future. This shared vision led to the creation of Unreasonable Impact. Since its launch in 2016, the programme has supported more than 340 companies, some of which are used in Barclays’ own operations today and have also been supported through the Barclays Climate Ventures mandate.
The Unreasonable Impact companies, having raised over $14 billion since inception, now employ more than 31,000 people. This year’s ventures span seven headquarters, operate in over 30 countries, and collectively employ 588 people. Furthermore, these companies have collectively reported preventing the release of 111 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions due to their products and services.
Daniel Epstein, CEO of Unreasonable Group, commented:
“At Unreasonable, we believe that solving global challenges requires not just breakthrough ideas, but the right ecosystem of support. The companies in this year’s programme are developing practical solutions that can drive meaningful change in sustainability and beyond. By working with Barclays and our wider network, we’re helping them gain the mentorship, investment, and market access they need to scale their businesses effectively."
Deborah Goldfarb, Global Head of Citizenship, Barclays, commented:
"Barclays is providing expertise to nurture some of the most innovative businesses of our time at each stage of their journey, from idea to IPO. Through our partnership with Unreasonable Group, we are giving entrepreneurs access to our ecosystem, mentors, and investors to help tackle key challenges. I am excited to see this new cohort flourish under the power of this partnership.”
Katharina Unger, CEO of LIVIN farms, commented:
“Joining Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe is an exciting opportunity for LIVIN farms to further our mission of transforming agriculture through sustainable insect farming technology. As we work towards providing innovative solutions that enable efficient insect protein production for animal feed, I look forward to collaborating with mentors, industry leaders, and fellow entrepreneurs. Together, we can accelerate innovation and drive meaningful change towards a more sustainable future.”
The 14 companies joining the 2025 Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe programme include:
● Common Objective – Common Objective’s platform helps businesses adopt sustainable practices and ethical standards through its innovative AI technology and community tools.
● CyanoCapture – CyanoCapture creates advanced photosynthetic microbes that efficiently capture and convert CO₂ into valuable materials for industries including biopharma and energy storage.
● Epoch Biodesign – Epoch Biodesign employs AI-designed enzymes to recycle mixed plastics and textiles, reducing reliance on virgin materials and closing the loop on waste.
● Farmforce – Farmforce digitalizes data on smallholder farmers, helping agribusinesses ensure sustainable sourcing, regulatory compliance, and supply chain transparency.
● LIVIN Farms – LIVIN Farms designs automated insect farming systems that upcycle organic by-products into high-quality proteins and agricultural inputs.
● Material Evolution – Material Evolution uses AI-driven alkali fusion technology to produce ultra-low carbon cement replacements, significantly reducing construction emissions.
● Natcap – Natcap’s proprietary analytics platform helps companies measure and manage their impact on nature, aligning operations with biodiversity standards.
● OCEANIUM – OCEANIUM turns sustainably farmed seaweed into functional ingredients for food, skincare, and biodegradable materials, supporting a regenerative blue economy.
● Onego Bio – Onego Bio produces Bioalbumen®, an animal-free egg protein developed through precision fermentation, offering a sustainable replacement for traditional egg whites.
● Orbital Marine Power – Orbital Marine Power’s floating tidal energy technology generates reliable, predictable renewable power while reducing reliance on carbon-intensive sources.
● Pivotal – Pivotal’s AI-driven biodiversity monitoring platform combines satellite data and on-the-ground sensors to help businesses make more sustainable, nature-positive decisions.
● Qpinch – Qpinch’s chemical heat pump technology converts waste heat into usable steam, reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency for heavy industry.
● SmartHelio – SmartHelio uses AI-powered predictive analytics to monitor and optimize solar PV performance, increasing energy output and reliability.
● Switchee – Switchee’s IoT-enabled sensors optimize energy usage in social housing, helping landlords reduce energy costs and improve living conditions for tenants.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Date of Release: 12 March 2025
● Unreasonable Impact runs three regional programmes annually across the UK and Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific, bringing together a select group of fast-growth businesses and handpicked investors. The next regional programme after the UK & Europe programme is in Malaysia in May 2025.
● Other notable Unreasonable Impact alumni include:
● Agricarbon, a soil carbon measurement company that samples agricultural soil and natural landscapes and measures their carbon content to verify carbon removals.
● Naked Energy, have developed VirtuPVT, a hybrid solar technology that generates both heat and power resulting in a higher energy density than alternative solar technologies.
● Unreasonable Impact ventures cumulatively report to have removed over 111 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and avoided or diverted 2 billion kg of waste from landfills.
Find out more in the latest Impact Report.
Media Inquiries
Jolaade Taiwo, Unreasonable Group
jolaade@unreasonablegroup.com
+44 (0) 7423215437
About Unreasonable Group
Building a global community between entrepreneurs, investors, creatives, and business leaders, Unreasonable acts as a catalytic platform for entrepreneurs tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Part global community and part investment firm, Unreasonable operates at the intersection of profit, advanced technologies, and impact. Via its international Fellowship, Unreasonable is uniquely positioned to support a select portfolio of growth-stage entrepreneurs to scale up by deploying knowledge, networks, and capital. Unreasonable believes in the power of business to drive lasting and scalable change.
Find out information about Unreasonable here:
About Barclays
Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance. We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank. Through these five divisions, we are working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities.
Find out more about Barclays’ approach to sustainability: