FluoRok raises €26.64 million
FluoRok, an Oxford-based chemical manufacturing startup that has developed a patented process to produce fluorochemicals without using highly hazardous hydrogen fluoride (HF), has secured a €26.64 million Series A financing round.
The round was led by Orano Ventures Fund/Supernova Invest, with participation from Bidra Innovation Ventures. Existing backers Oxford Science Enterprises, BGF, GGF, Volta Energy Technologies, and the University of Oxford also participated in the round.
Founded in 2022, FluoRok is a University of Oxford spin-out developing a patented manufacturing platform that bypasses the conventional HF-based process used to produce fluorochemicals entirely. Conventional fluorochemical production has relied on a 250-year-old process that depends on HF, one of the most hazardous chemicals in industrial use, and high-purity fluorspar predominantly sourced from China, creating safety, supply, and cost risks.
FluoRok bypasses this process by relying on mechanical activation combined with base chemistry to unlock fluorine from lower-grade mineral sources and even fluoride-containing industrial waste streams, under controllable conditions. The process runs on off-the-shelf industrial equipment, which makes it faster and easier to scale.
The company targets critical end markets including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and lithium-ion battery manufacturing.
“We are thrilled to welcome new investors on our journey to fundamentally change how the world makes fluorochemicals, with safer chemistry and better economics.”
“Closing another oversubscribed round, backed by both new and existing investors from around the world, is a testament to the strength of our technology, the incredible commercial traction and the speed of execution of the FluoRok team. This funding will ensure FluoRok can swiftly move from start-up to scale-up and take a further step towards becoming a large-scale industrial manufacturer,”
