Fundraising FoxMABE Bio
AntlerPlug and Play VenturesSão Paulo, BR · 3 known investors
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MABE Bio, based in São Paulo, develops plant-derived materials and surface finishes. The company applies biotechnology and materials science to create alternatives to conventional inputs for manufacturers and designers.
Also known as Mabe Bio · MABE Bio
Investors · 3
How we know: open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Sep 2026MABE Bio is a textile innovation centre based in São Paulo, Brazil, that combines biotechnology and materials science with plant inputs to create new materials and surface finishes. The company investigates Brazilian biodiversity with the aim of producing textile materials intended to have low environmental impact, describing its approach as combining ancestral and contemporary technologies and knowledge from multiple disciplines to turn raw materials with little or no commercial value into higher-value textile inputs.
Its first material is ANGICO leather (also referred to as angico biotissue), a plant-based leather alternative made entirely from native Brazilian plants. Angico is the common name for several tree species in the Mimosoideae family native to tropical America, mainly Brazil, spanning the genera Piptadenia, Parapiptadenia and Anadenanthera; the trees are valued for their wood and are used in reforestation and forest-recovery projects because of their rapid growth and resilience. As of mid-2025 the technology remained in the research and development phase, with the team working toward a material competitive on performance and cost.
The company frames its work around a systemic and circular development process and a production model referencing industry 4.0, agroforestry and green chemistry, with stated goals of fostering the local economy and building a regenerative value chain alongside the material itself.
Founding story
Co-founder Marina Belintani, a fashion designer experienced in the materials and fashion market, was motivated by the waste generated by the fashion industry to pursue a master's research project at the Royal College of Art in London studying biomaterials, and began investigating sustainable alternatives based on Brazilian biodiversity. She subsequently took part in the residency program at Antler, an early-stage venture capital fund, where she met entrepreneur Rachel Albuquerque Maranhão, a business master's student who joined as co-founder; the partnership paired Belintani's technical research with Maranhão's business and strategy role. The company's site lists Belintani as co-founder and CEO, while a 2025 news release describes Maranhão as CEO of Mabe.
Business model
MABE Bio develops proprietary plant-derived textile materials and finishes intended for sale into industrial and brand supply chains, with a stated intention to expand into additional materials and revenue streams. Development to date has been financed through pre-seed venture funding, competition prizes, and Brazilian government and foundation research grants and programs.
Traction
The company has advanced from a solo effort to a team conducting R&D on Angico bioleather, financed by ClimateLaunchpad, Antler and Brazilian governmental grants, and has kicked off a supply chain project. It was selected by the Centelha Program in 2022, won the ClimateLaunchpad competition, received the C&A Institute's Fashion Futures award and INSPER's José Eduardo Ermírio de Moraes Award in 2023, and co-founder Marina Belintani was selected for the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst 2023. It is supported by FAPESP's PIPE program and was one of ten companies invited to present at the USP stand at VivaTech 2025.
Latest developments
In June 2025 MABE Bio was one of ten companies invited by FAPESP to present at the University of São Paulo stand at the VivaTech fair in Paris, where the company sought dialogue with European investors. The angico material remained in the research and development phase, with stated priorities of improving performance, reaching pilot scale, launching with a brand partner and structuring the supply chain.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
MABE Bio positions itself within the emerging alternative and next-generation materials sector as a Brazil-based developer drawing on native biodiversity, targeting leather replacement for fashion, automotive and interiors. Its representatives describe the global market for alternative materials as expanding and expect alternative materials such as angico to hold a meaningful share of the materials market by 2030.
The company's stated differentiators are the use of native Brazilian plant species, particularly angico, as feedstock; a circular and regenerative production model intended to bring commercial value to abundant raw materials with little existing commercial use; and an emphasis on redesigning the full production chain rather than only substituting a material.
Technology
The company produces materials from native Brazilian plants, with its lead product a plant-based leather made from angico trees. Its development framework cites agroforestry, green chemistry and industry 4.0 production, and involves laboratory research and testing; the technology was described as still in the research and development phase in June 2025.
Go-to-market
The company has pursued accelerators, competitions and public innovation programs to fund and validate its R&D, including ClimateLaunchpad, Antler's residency, the Centelha Program and FAPESP's PIPE program. Stated near-term plans include launching Angico leather in partnership with a brand, developing pilot-scale production and structuring its supply chain. It exhibited at the University of São Paulo stand at VivaTech in Paris in June 2025, with the stated aim of engaging European investors.
Brands and manufacturers across fashion, accessories, product design, automotive, upholstery and decoration. Company representatives cite interest in sustainable material solutions from brands such as Adidas, Nike, Mercedes and BMW as indicative of the addressable market.
Geography
Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, with raw material sourcing from native Brazilian plants and international activity including participation in VivaTech in Paris, France in June 2025 and prior interest from funders in Brazil and the United States.
History
Founded following Marina Belintani's biomaterials research at the Royal College of Art and her participation in Antler's residency program in Brazil, where she met co-founder Rachel Albuquerque Maranhão. The company was selected by the Centelha Program in 2022, won ClimateLaunchpad and raised a pre-seed round from Antler Brazil, and received the Fashion Futures award and the José Eduardo Ermírio de Moraes Award in 2023. It has since received support from FAPESP's PIPE program and presented at VivaTech in 2025.
Risks & controversies
The lead material was still in research and development as of June 2025 and had not reached pilot scale or commercial launch, with the company's own representatives describing the challenge of achieving competitive performance and cost and of validating an ecosystem-based business model while maintaining financial security.
Compiled by commissioned research from 6 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 8
launches, deals, and filingsOne of ten companies invited by FAPESP to present its technology at the University of São Paulo stand at the VivaTech fair in Paris, held June 11-14, 2025.
Mabe Bio is supported by FAPESP's Innovative Research in Small Businesses (PIPE) program.
The company developed angico biotissue, a plant-based leather material made entirely from native Brazilian plants; the technology remained in the research and development phase.
Co-founder Marina Belintani was selected to be part of the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst 2023 program.
Received the Fashion Futures award, created by the C&A Institute to recognize transformative initiatives in the fashion sector.
Received the José Eduardo Ermírio de Moraes Award from the Institute of Education and Research (INSPER).
MABE Bio was a winner in the ClimateLaunchpad competition, receiving financial support and taking part in national and international stages of the program.
Mabe Bio was selected by the Centelha Program, which supports innovative ventures with training, financial resources and other support.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 6
primary sources listed
- MABE Biomabebio.com · web
6 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does MABE Bio do?
- Brazilian textile innovation startup developing Angico plant-based leather and other materials from native Brazilian biodiversity.
- Who are MABE Bio's investors?
- MABE Bio's investors include Antler, Plug and Play Ventures.
- Where is MABE Bio headquartered?
- MABE Bio is headquartered in São Paulo, BR.