Revolution-ZERO has secured £1 million equity from the South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager, The FSE Group. The initial £1.6 million round, which includes funding from private angels, will help create 20 new jobs while supporting the overall growth of the business, which is based in Truro in Cornwall.
Founded in 2020, Revolution-ZERO is a medical textile solutions provider, with a strong emphasis on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Initially focused on reusable masks, the company has since expanded to include surgical textile solutions and decontamination/sterilisation units equipped with an RFID tracking system.
Operating as a circular economy system, Revolution-ZERO significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with single-use medical textiles, including emissions, waste, water, and toxicity, while also lowering costs for healthcare providers.
Founder and CEO, Tom Dawson, said: "We are thrilled to receive this South West Investment Fund investment via FSE, which will not only accelerate our growth but also further our mission to provide sustainable and effective medical textile solutions. Our end-to-end service model has already shown significant potential in reducing single-use item dependency in healthcare settings and this funding will help us scale these solutions more rapidly."
The BCorp certified company secured accreditations required to supply the NHS in 2021 and has since experienced rapid growth, expanding to 23 staff and more than tripling turnover. With ambitious plans to achieve six operational medical textile processing units by 2026, rising to 24 by 2028, Revolution-ZERO aims to become a £25 million turnover business within the next three years.
Anna Staevska, FSE Investment Manager, commented, "Revolution-ZERO's innovative approach to medical textiles is a game-changer for the healthcare industry. By addressing critical issues related to supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental impact, they are setting new standards for sustainability in the sector. We are excited to support their continued growth and success."
In the UK alone, approximately 53,000 tons of single-use regulated medical textiles are consumed annually, costing the NHS more than £400 million. Revolution-ZERO aims to disrupt this market, which is valued at £405 million annually in the UK and £4 billion across Europe.
Paul Jones from the British Business Bank added: “Revolution-ZERO is transforming the medical textile industry, offering reusable solutions that significantly reduce environmental impact and cut healthcare costs. We’re pleased that the South West Investment Fund has supported the company at this pivotal time to help them scale up and grow.
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. The South West Investment Fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.