Laval, Que.-based Dispersa, which has its research and development operations in Sydney, has raised $3 million of funding split evenly between equity and debt, with the round led by economic development agency Invest Nova Scotia.

Dispersa makes biodegradable surfactants, which are ingredients used in consumer products likes soaps, shampoos and cosmetics to break down oils. Unlike most surfactants, which are petroleum byproducts and contain chemicals the International Agency for Research on Cancer describes as potentially carcinogenic, Dispersa’s are derived from microorganisms grown in food waste.

Chief Executive Nivatha Balendra was inspired to found the company when, as a 17-year-old, a deadly train derailment and oil spill in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, sparked her interest in environmentally friendly solutions to oil contamination.

The deal’s investors also included French-Canadian ESG investors Fondaction, Toronto-based family office Dragonfly Ventures, impact investment firm Good & Well, and Montreal’s BoxOne Ventures.

“We are thrilled to have the support of an incredible group of investors who are deeply committed to creating positive environmental and social impact,” said Balendra in a statement.

“With this pre-seed round of investment, Dispersa is poised to address the growing market demand for natural biosurfactants in consumer products. Our goal is to ensure that sustainability is not compromised by affordability. This investment will allow us to do exactly that as we scale towards commercialization.”

Dispersa’s Sydney operation is based at the Verschuren Centre — a not-for-profit facility that provides sophisticated fermentation infrastructure to startups working in bio-processing, marine processing, carbon transformation, bioplastics, energy storage and sustainable resource use.

Companies that want access to the centre’s facilities, including Dispersa, gain access by participating in its AscendBio accelerator program. When Dispersa joined AscendBio in Sept. 2022, the program was run jointly with Innovacorp, the forbear of Invest Nova Scotia.

At the time, Dispersa was also one of five startups accepted into Innovacorp's GreenShoots accelerator.

Launched in 2020, GreenShoots is a funding and mentorship program offered in partnership with the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub and Guelph, Ont.-based Bioenterprise Corporation. It offers agtech, biotech and cleantech companies up to $40,000 each in grants. Three of the five recipients this year are based in Sydney, which has been growing its life sciences and cleantech community through the AscendBio program and the  Verschuren Centre.