Material Impact

Material Impact is a venture capital and company-building firm founded by Carmichael Roberts and Adam Sharkawy. It backs and builds inception-stage companies - that is, businesses at the point of formation - working to turn advanced materials technologies into commercial products, with an explicit focus on materials innovation that mainstream venture investment tends to overlook. The firm's stated test for investment is whether a technology addresses an urgent, real-world need; it emphasises practical application of materials science over purely academic innovation.

The firm combines early capital with hands-on company formation and growth support, working alongside founders through formation and key stages of scaling rather than acting solely as a financial investor. Portfolio companies also gain access to a network of corporate, university and government partners. Its portfolio spans seven industry areas: food and water, sustainable manufacturing, mobility, healthcare, biomanufacturing, robotics and data security - a deep-tech and materials-science specialisation rather than a generalist technology mandate.

Material Impact is led by two founder-partners, both materials-focused entrepreneurs with histories of building and advising companies. The firm describes its mission in terms of making the world healthier, safer, more productive and more sustainable. Fund size, cheque size and founding year are not disclosed publicly in the firm's published materials.