GreenCentre Canada is pleased to announce their investment of $150,000 into Canadian start-up company, Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. as part of the seed round lead by GreenSky Capital. Based on a technology developed at the University of Guelph, Mirexus aims to advance and commercialize sustainable nanoparticles useful in formulating greener, longer lasting personal care products, improving shelf life of specialty materials and enhancing drug delivery.
In 2009, a team of researchers, led by Physics Professor John Dutcher at the University of Guelph, developed a benign chemical process to harvest and refine a high value nanoparticle found in corn. The resulting nanoparticles are a natural, renewable material that can fulfill the rapidly growing global demand for eco-friendly advanced materials produced from sustainable sources.
The Mirexus nanoparticles are useful as a natural and renewable ingredient in personal care products, like moisturizers and sunscreens, because they have the ability to retain moisture longer and extend the shelf life. Other potential applications include improvements to food storage and the quality and delivery of bioactives.
GreenCentre is investing $150,000 into Mirexus through an investment round led by GreenSky Capital. Based in Toronto, GreenSky Capital is a boutique corporate finance advisory firm, delivering customized financial solutions to small and medium sized businesses. GreenCentre’s contribution to this seed round provides Mirexus with the ability to leverage investment dollars to advance this promising Canadian green innovation.
“GreenCentre’s investment is a significant step towards the commercialization of our technology,” said Phil Whiting, President & CEO of Mirexus. “With their help, we will soon be poised to deliver a technology that will offer consumers safer and more sustainable personal care products and medicines.”
“Mirexus is a perfect fit for GreenCentre’s mandate of bringing sustainable discoveries that start in the lab to the marketplace, where they can truly make a difference environmentally and economically” said Rui Resendes, Executive Director of GreenCentre, “We are proud to be investing in Mirexus and helping to advance this high potential Canadian company. We hope that it inspires researchers across the country to take a similar journey.”
About Mirexus Inc.
Mirexus Inc. is commercializing a novel “green” technology based on polysaccharide sub-micron particles that can be used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from cosmetics to foods to architectural coatings to drug delivery in medicine. This technology was originally developed at the University of Guelph in the laboratories of Professor John Dutcher with financial support from the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), the Advanced Foods and Materials Network (AFMNet), and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). www.mirexus.com
About GreenSky Capital Inc.
GreenSky Capital is a boutique corporate finance advisory firm based in Toronto, delivering customized financial solutions to small and medium sized businesses. GreenSky mandates are long-term partnerships with high growth potential companies and dedicated entrepreneurs where GreenSky supports the execution of strategic transitional events. GreenSky principals bring together a unique combination of experience in operations, investment banking and private equity. As an operator’s investment bank, GreenSky has the ability to bring extensive capital markets experience into a real-world context. GreenSky is focused on business and relationship building as well as the ultimate transaction. www.greenskycapital.com
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