Mykor
Bristol-based materials startup growing structural insulated panels from engineered mycelium and agricultural waste, branded MykoSIP.
Last refreshed: 29 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can mushroom-grown panels realistically replace petrochemical insulation at construction scale?
Timeline for Mykor
Raised £4m led by Clean Growth Fund for mycelium structural panel production
UK Startups and Innovation: Mykor's £4m grows panels from mushrooms- What are MykoSIP panels and how are they made?
- MykoSIP are structural insulated panels grown by inoculating agricultural waste with engineered fungal mycelium. The mycelium threads through the waste and bonds it into rigid panels over roughly four weeks, producing a material with 60% less embodied carbon than conventional insulation.Source: Construction Management / The Next Web
- How much has Mykor raised and who are its investors?
- Mykor has raised £7.5m in total. Its £4m May 2026 round was led by Clean Growth Fund, with The FSE Group, Green Angel Ventures and an Innovate UK grant.Source: Resource Media
- Why do construction companies prefer Mykor panels over standard insulation?
- MykoSIP panels carry 60% less embodied carbon than conventional insulation and hold a Euroclass B fire rating. They allow contractors to meet tightening UK and EU embodied-carbon regulations without petrochemical feedstocks.Source: Insider Media / Construction Management
- Who founded Mykor and what is their background?
- Mykor was founded in 2021 by Olivia Page and Valentina Dipietro, both Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees; the company is headquartered in Bristol.Source: The Next Web
Background
Mykor raised £4m on 27 May 2026 led by Clean Growth Fund, with The FSE Group, Green Angel Ventures and an Innovate UK grant, taking total funding to £7.5m. The Bristol company grows structural insulated panels branded MykoSIP by inoculating agricultural waste with engineered fungal mycelium; the material self-assembles into rigid panels over roughly four weeks, carrying 60% less embodied carbon than conventional insulation and a Euroclass B fire rating.
Founded in 2021 by Olivia Page and Valentina Dipietro (both Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees), Mykor employs 22 staff and has signed £337m in pre-production commercial agreements with UK and European contractors, a figure that substantially de-risks the capital raise. The company has previously raised £3.5m across earlier equity and grant rounds.
Mykor sits at the intersection of construction decarbonisation and circular-economy materials. The built environment accounts for roughly 40% of global carbon emissions; embodied carbon in construction products is an increasingly regulated metric under UK planning and procurement rules. Growing rather than manufacturing insulation boards also sidesteps the petrochemical feedstock exposure that plagues conventional foam insulation.