The U.K.-based brand Hylo Athletics, co-founded by ex-football professional Michael Doughty in 2020, has secured €2.9 million in a Series A funding round for its vegan-friendly sneakers that are made with natural rubber, cotton, algae and corn fiber. The company claims the “corn runners” have a 52 percent lower carbon footprint than regular running shoes. The company offsets unavoidable CO2 emissions where they occur and is also a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). The funding round was led by Eka Ventures with participation from Redrice Ventures and angel investors including footballer Patrick Bamford of Leeds United. The fresh funds will be invested in the development of new products and expansion of sales and marketing efforts. To date, the company only sells DTC via its own channels.

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