Mycelium biomaterials in 2026: overview
Mycelium biomaterials use fungal networks to bind or form materials, often with plant-based residues as feedstock. They offer a route to lightweight composites, packaging, insulation and leather alternatives, while linking material production to biological growth. The challenge is to make performance consistent: substrate, fungal species, density and post-processing can all change the result. Process control and reliable material properties are central to moving beyond prototypes.
Recent work is testing both feedstocks and fabrication methods. In August 2026, Jiangnan University researchers reported using Tween as a growth regulator to improve material strength, while VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland published a submerged-fermentation route to nonwoven fabrics. VTT also drew attention for a pulp-based approach to larger-scale mycelium leather. Other studies in August 2026 examined waste oriented strand board for insulation and mycelium composites for egg packaging. Circular use of residues and scalable production are recurring directions, alongside interest in materials that retain living functions.
- 1From waste to feedstock: Research is testing agricultural and industrial residues as substrates, connecting material performance to waste streams and local resource availability.
- 2Scale remains a hurdle: Pulp-based leather and submerged-fermentation fabrics point toward production routes beyond molded parts, but consistent properties and processing remain open challenges.
- 3Patent momentum cools: Patent activity fell 54.2% in the latest 12 months versus the previous 12 months, while publications rose 1.6%, suggesting research remains active as patenting slows.
Top organizations working on mycelium biomaterials
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to mycelium biomaterials. Showing 7 of 423 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Mycoworks Inc.
Startup · United States |
Fungal leather and sheets | PAT 4 · NEWS 43 | -53% | It develops Fine Mycelium and Reishi, a mycelium-based leather alternative for material applications including fashion and accessories. |
| 2 | 
Chiang Mai University
Research · Thailand |
Molded substrate composites | PUB 16 | +200% | Recently, researchers studied mycelium composites for egg packaging and insulation, alongside work on boards made from fungal growth on agricultural residues. |
| 3 | 
Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Research · Switzerland |
Living and 3D-printed materials | PUB 4 · NEWS 18 | -90% | Researchers developed a living material using fungi, investigating fungal growth as a route to biodegradable materials. |
| 4 | 
Ecovative Design, LLC
Startup · United States |
Molded substrate composites | PAT 6 · PUB 1 NEWS 16 |
-56% | It develops mycelium materials and has patented methods for directing aerial mycelium growth and preparing mycelium sheets and panels. |
| 5 | 
University of Washington
Research · United States |
Living and 3D-printed materials | NEWS 20 | -75% | Researchers developed a 3D-printable paste from used coffee grounds inoculated with Ganoderma lucidum, forming compostable objects as alternatives to plastic packaging and foam. |
| 6 | 
University of Manitoba
Research · Canada |
Molded substrate composites | PUB 7 | -25% | Researchers investigate mycelium composites made with waste paper, hemp hurds, and other agricultural residues, including how compaction affects material properties. |
| 7 | 
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Research · India |
Fungal leather and sheets | PUB 2 · NEWS 6 | -40% | Researchers investigated producing cotton-mycelium biocomposites through submerged fermentation as a potential vegan leather material. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 2 total
MycelIt has patented methods for turning mycelium mats into leather sheets, including a process using pH-controlled tannic acid.
BioseaFranceResearchers associated with BIOSEA have studied textured mycelium-bound tiles designed to regulate building temperatures.
Leading research institutions 375 total
- Chiang Mai UniversityThailandRecently, researchers studied mycelium composites for egg packaging and insulation, alongside work on boards made from fungal growth on agricultural residues.
- Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and TechnologySwitzerlandResearchers developed a living material using fungi, investigating fungal growth as a route to biodegradable materials.
- University of ManitobaCanadaResearchers investigate mycelium composites made with waste paper, hemp hurds, and other agricultural residues, including how compaction affects material properties.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where mycelium biomaterials innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 423 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molded substrate composites | Fungi bind loose plant-based feedstocks into shaped parts; performance depends on substrate choice, growth conditions and post-processing. | 150 |
Chiang Mai University, University of Manitoba, IIT |
| Mycelium foams | Mycelium grows through a substrate to form lightweight foam-like parts; low weight and renewable feedstocks trade off against moisture control and mechanical consistency. | 159 |
Chiang Mai University, University of Bath, University of Manitoba |
| Fungal leather and sheets | Mycelium is grown or processed into flexible sheets; achieving a uniform surface and repeatable quality at production scale remains difficult. | 93 |
Mycoworks Inc., VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Business Finland Oy |
| Living and 3D-printed materials | Living fungi can be shaped by printing or scaffold-based growth; retained biological function offers new design options but makes stability and process control harder. | 337 |
Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Wood Materials Llc, University of Washington |
| Reinforced and hybrid composites | Mycelium is combined with other fibers or materials to tune performance; reinforcement can improve properties but adds complexity to fabrication and end-of-life handling. | 222 |
Czech University of Life Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Bolt Threads Inc. |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Funding data lists $54.3 million across 35 grants since 2020, and 18 reported rounds totaling $990.2 million. The latest listed company transaction is MycoWorks Inc.'s private-equity round in February 2026; no amount is reported.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Aug 2026Abstract The increasing generation of waste is a global challenge with particularly severe impacts in Southeast Asia, where agricultural and… Full text: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-66400-9 Author Alireza…Bio-based News
- Aug 2026Scientists have been searching for ethical, high-quality alternatives to animal leather, which notoriously comes with environmental costs and ethical compromises. While synthetic alternatives solve the ethical dilemma…New Atlas - New Technology & Science News
- Aug 2026Researchers from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed a pulp-based approach to growing mycelium leather, enabling large-scale production of the biomaterial. In June, Italian luxury fashion house…Green Queen
- Aug 2026Fungal mycelium is a promising renewable material, but conventional processing generally eliminates the living activity that could support growth, repair, and environmental response. A team led by Dr. ZHONG Chao from…Bio-based News
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about mycelium biomaterials
What companies are working on mycelium biomaterials?
MycoWorks Inc. and Ecovative Design, LLC are among the named companies developing mycelium materials; Mycel and Biosea also appear as startups. MycoWorks develops Fine Mycelium and Reishi, while Ecovative works on mycelium materials and methods for growing sheets and panels. The organizations span fungal leather and molded substrate composites.
Which universities and research centers lead mycelium biomaterials research?
Chiang Mai University, Empa and the University of Manitoba are among the active research organizations. Chiang Mai University studies composites for packaging and insulation; Empa investigates living fungal materials; and the University of Manitoba examines composites made with waste paper, hemp hurds and other agricultural residues.
How much funding has mycelium biomaterials received?
Funding data lists $54.3 million in grants across 35 awards since 2020, plus 18 reported funding rounds totaling $990.2 million. These are aggregate figures in the supplied funding data, so they should not be read as amounts raised by any one company. MycoWorks Inc.'s latest listed private-equity round has no reported amount.
What were the latest mycelium biomaterials funding rounds?
The newest listed company transaction is MycoWorks Inc.'s private-equity round dated February 9, 2026; the amount is not reported. NEWS reports that DFX Corp acquired the mycelium leather maker in February 2026. The funding data also lists a January 2026 infrastructure-finance entry for L'Oréal, but it is not identified as a mycelium-specific project.
Who holds the most mycelium biomaterials patents?
The Fynder Group Inc. leads the listed patent holders with 9 patents. Ecovative Design, LLC has 6; Seiko Epson Corporation, Mycoworks Inc. and Spora Cayman Holdings Limited each have 4. Tufts University, Jilin Agricultural University and L'Oréal are also listed among the leading holders.
Is mycelium biomaterials patent activity growing?
No: patent activity fell 54.2% in the latest 12 months compared with the previous 12 months, while the 24-month window contains 140 patents. Publication activity moved slightly upward, with 432 publications in the last year and growth of 1.6%. These measures point to continued research alongside a recent slowdown in patenting.
What are the latest developments in mycelium biomaterials?
Recent developments include VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland's submerged-fermentation method for nonwoven fabrics, published in August 2026, and Jiangnan University's work on Tween as a growth regulator, also published in August 2026. Recent studies also test waste OSB for insulation and mycelium composites for egg packaging, reflecting interest in new feedstocks and scalable formats.
What are the applications of mycelium biomaterials?
Applications include construction and building products (254 documents), protective packaging (135), thermal and acoustic insulation (134), fashion and textiles (102), and furniture and interiors (99). Recent research also explores egg packaging, leather sheets and nonwoven fabrics. These uses draw on mycelium's ability to bind substrates or form sheet-like and foam-like materials.
Which countries lead mycelium biomaterials?
The United States leads with 2,529 documents, followed by China with 1,094, the United Kingdom with 998 and Germany with 677. India is also among the leading countries, with 478 documents. The United States accounts for a 40.0% share in the country data.
What are the main approaches in mycelium biomaterials and how do they differ?
The approaches include molded substrate composites, mycelium foams, fungal leather and sheets, living and 3D-printed materials, and reinforced or hybrid composites. They differ in how mycelium is grown, shaped or combined with other materials. Molded parts and foams focus on formed structures; sheets target flexible surfaces; living and hybrid methods add functional or property-tuning options.