š„ Hy-five: Scaling Mushroom Textiles, Bioluminescent Wood, Bourbon Materials, New Ingredient Platform, Psilocybin Breakthrough
Sporadic round-up of mycological research and industry news.
Hello dear fungi enthusiast,
āWe could honestly take 90% of the market with the material weāre making right now.ā This is the bold vision of Really Clever, the biomaterials innovator setting the tone for what could be a major shift in fashion, automotive, and the broader material industry.
With a high-performance, low-cost alternative to plastic, co-founders Patrick Baptista Pinto, Matt Millar and his team are scaling up sustainable production without compromising on aesthetics or manufacturability.
It's been truly inspiring to work with Really Clever and realise that fungal or mushroom-based materials can be cost-efficient, scalable, and meet mainstream brands' expectations.
Know someone working in fashion or sustainable materials? Ask them to get in touch. We're building the future of the industry here.
Curious to know more? Head over to ReallyClever.
#1 Bioluminescent Wood Created Using Fungi: A New Sustainable Lighting Material
Researchers in Switzerland have figured out how to make wood glow in the darkāwithout wires, batteries, or synthetic chemicals. By carefully combining the white rot fungus Desarmillaria tabescens with blocks of balsa wood, scientists from Empa created a hybrid material that produces visible bioluminescence for hours at a time.
#2 Turning Bourbon Distillery Waste into Mycelium Materials: A Scalable Approach from Kentucky
A recent study from the University of Kentucky explores how this overlooked waste stream can be transformed into pure mycelium materials using solid-state fermentation. By feeding stillage solids to fast-growing fungi like Rhizopus oligosporus, researchers were able to produce tunable, leather-like sheets of aerial mycelium. The process not only valorises distillery byproducts but also opens up new avenues for sustainable material production at scale.
#3 Funguāit Raises ā¬4 million to Build a New Ingredient Platform with Fungi
Franceās Funguāit is betting that fungiānot additivesāhold the key to flavouring the next generation of food. The Dijon-based startup has just raised ā¬4 million to scale a solid-state fermentation process that turns industrial food waste into high-impact, natural flavourings. The goal: clean-label ingredients that perform like meat or cocoa, without the environmental or sensory baggage.
4# Compass Pathways Hits Milestone in Psychedelic Drug Development with Phase 3 Psilocybin Readout for 250+ Patients
Compass Pathways has become the first company to publish Phase 3 data for a classical psychedelic. With COMP360, its synthetic psilocybin candidate, now in late-stage development, Compass is shifting gears toward commercial readiness. The company has already announced partnerships with Greenbrook TMS, HealthPort, and Hackensack Meridian Health to begin shaping its delivery model. Compass is now closer than ever to making psilocybin therapy a regulated treatment option for patients with few remaining alternatives.
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