This is a bet that packaging innovation will be won by speed-to-proof, not just new materials.
Hamburg-based one.five has raised EUR 14 million in new funding, according to EU-Startups. The investor group includes Dr Hans Riegel Holding, 212 NexT, Symbia VC, Btomorrow Ventures, KIMPA Impact, Zubi Capital, Speedinvest, Planet A, Green Generation Fund, Climentum Capital, Revent and WEPA.
What one.five is building
one.five positions itself as a sustainable packaging materials developer that uses AI-powered algorithms to identify the right technology for a given packaging challenge. The company says its in-house algorithm supports swift product development and tailored solutions, aiming to reduce the iteration cycles that typically slow down materials R&D.
The company develops innovative materials using algae for clean and reusable packaging solutions. Its current product set spans recyclable and biodegradable paper overwrappers, mono-material paper soy packs and leakage-safe sachets for food and non-food applications.
A core part of the proposition is execution speed. one.five says it can deliver prototypes of real materials to customers in roughly 100 days via a rapid lab-to-market pipeline. It also claims it can build on mature product research to adapt solutions for other products, accelerating development further.
Why this round fits the market’s direction
Sustainable packaging is moving from concept pilots to conversion projects inside large consumer goods groups, with increasing pressure to replace hard-to-recycle structures. In that context, one.five’s pitch is less about a single “miracle material” and more about a repeatable development engine that can get to a manufacturable, testable sample quickly.
That matters because the bottleneck in packaging changeovers is often product-market fit at the material level: barrier performance, machinability on existing lines, food-contact requirements, shelf-life and cost. The ability to reach credible prototypes fast can shorten the decision cycle for brand owners and reduce the cost of failed iterations.
Early traction: big-brand validation
one.five reports having two anchor customers, both among the top 10 FMCG brands. It also says it worked with a large European FMCG brand to shift from multilayered, non-recyclable composite packaging to mono-material paper packaging. While no quantified ROI or pilot economics were disclosed in the available material, the customer profile signals that one.five is already operating in the procurement and quality environments that tend to define what scales.
What to watch next
The strategic question is whether one.five can translate rapid prototyping into repeatable industrial rollouts.
Key execution risks are practical rather than theoretical:
- Scale-up and manufacturing transfer: Moving from prototypes to stable, high-volume production is where many materials innovations stall.
- Regulatory and compliance pathways: Food-contact and claims substantiation can extend timelines and add cost.
- Customer conversion and churn risk: Even with large-brand pilots, packaging decisions can be delayed by line-change costs, internal approvals and shifting sustainability priorities.
Still, the breadth of the syndicate, spanning strategic and climate-focused investors, suggests appetite for platforms that can help brand owners de-risk the transition away from complex composites.
EU-Startups notes the funding at EUR 14 million; public search results referenced in the research did not provide additional round structure details beyond that reporting.