1M t
Annual supply deficit
A widening supply gap
The world produces 14 million tonnes of natural rubber a year and consumes 15 million. That one million tonne deficit is structural, not seasonal.
Advanced Ag-Tech Solutions
Sustainable natural rubber, engineered to be secure
Biotechnology and controlled environment crop science, applied to a $20 billion industry that is running short of the material it depends on.
- High quality rubber, produced to specification
- Fully traceable, ready for the EUDR
- Grown indoors, year round, without deforestation
- Annual global demand
- 15M t
- Annual supply deficit
- 1M t
- Global market
- $20B
The Challenge
The wonder material we all need is running out
Global production of natural rubber is declining while demand keeps rising. Synthetic alternatives lack its superior qualities and carry environmental costs of their own.
EUDR
EU Deforestation Regulation
Regulation is redrawing the map
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is fundamentally transforming the global rubber industry and the traceability every buyer must now prove.
85%
Of supply from smallholders
A fragmented producer base
Smallholders produce 85% of all natural rubber, spread across regions exposed to climate stress, disease and geopolitical risk.
4.7%
Annual demand growth
Price exposure is rising
Demand keeps compounding against declining production. Experts forecast natural rubber prices to mirror the volatility already seen in the coffee and cacao markets.
Global balance, per year
Production 14M t
Demand 15M t
1 million tonnes short, every single year.
Our answerWho We Work With
Supported by the research base behind UK crop science
QuberTech is built at Norwich Research Park alongside the institutes, funders and industry bodies that set the standard for crop biotechnology and for the rubber industry it supplies.
- John Innes Centre
- Norwich Research Park
- Circular Rubber Platform
- LettUs Grow
- TARDISS
- Innovate UK
Impact
From controlled fields to global supply chains
Today's rubber supply chain carries a deforestation risk and a long transport footprint before the material ever reaches a factory. Ours is designed to carry neither.
The QuberTech model
- No deforestation, on brownfield sites and non-arable land
- Production sited close to the industries that use it
- Weather and climate resilient, year-round output
- 100% traceable from crop to compound
The industry today
- Deforestation risk in the growing regions
- High transport footprint across continents
- Supply concentrated in climate-vulnerable geographies
- Limited traceability back to the source
Global connection
- Norwich Research Park, production sited at the point of use
- Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Côte d’Ivoire, the growing regions today
The Solution
What we do QuberTech improves an alternative rubber crop with biotechnology and grows it in a closed, controlled environment, so the material is produced to specification rather than harvested from a forest.
Natural rubber, reengineered for the next century
Using biotechnology tools to improve alternative crops grown in a controlled environment, contributing to a sustainable industrial future.
Supply secure
- Accelerated production
- High quality & consistency
- 100% traceable
- Geographically flexible
Sustainable
- No deforestation
- Weather & climate resilient
- Year-round production
- Uses brownfield or non-arable land
Economically viable
- Controlled, modular production
- Scalable commercial model
- Year-round economics
- Revenue from by-product valorisation
QuberTech Natural Rubber by Numbers
The scale of the problem we are solving
- Global market value
- $20B The natural rubber industry QuberTech is built to supply.
- Compound annual growth rate
- 4.7% Demand keeps compounding while production continues to decline.
- Of supply from smallholders
- 85% Concentrated in regions exposed to climate stress and geopolitical risk.
- Annual supply deficit
- 1M t Structural, not seasonal. A gap the current supply chain cannot close.
Technology
How it works
A biotech route to the same material the world already relies on, grown where we choose, to a specification we control.
Four steps
From root to industrial grade rubber
- 01
An alternative crop
Rubber does not have to come from a tree. Dandelion roots produce natural rubber with the properties industry needs, and they grow to harvest in a fraction of the time.
- 02
Biotechnology tools
We apply modern crop science to improve yield, consistency and processability, turning a promising plant into a dependable industrial feedstock.
- 03
Controlled environment cultivation
Growing indoors decouples supply from weather, disease and season. Output is continuous, the inputs are measured, and every batch is traceable.
- 04
Rubber, plus a second revenue stream
The same roots yield inulin, a natural sugar and prebiotic fibre serving a market approaching $2 billion, improving the economics of every harvest.
01/04
Application Industries
Where our rubber goes
Natural rubber is not a niche input. It is load bearing in the industries that move and protect people.
01 / 06
Tyres
The single largest use of natural rubber worldwide.
Car, truck and off road tyres depend on the fatigue behaviour and heat build up that only natural rubber delivers at scale.
02 / 06
Hoses & belting
Elasticity and fatigue resistance are non-negotiable.
Industrial hose, drive belts and conveyor belting run continuously, so the compound has to hold its specification for years.
03 / 06
Automotive
Seals, mounts and vibration control across the vehicle.
Hundreds of moulded parts per vehicle rely on a material that damps movement and stays sealed across the temperature range.
04 / 06
Footwear
Soles and components that depend on natural rubber's resilience.
Grip, abrasion resistance and rebound come from the polymer itself, which is why performance soles stay with natural rubber.
05 / 06
Other CRG
Crumb rubber granulate and further downstream rubber goods.
Granulate feeds surfaces, mouldings and mats, a volume market that follows the same supply and traceability pressure.
06 / 06
Medical & industrial
Applications where synthetic substitutes fall short on performance.
Sealing, tubing and protective products where elasticity, purity and consistency decide whether a part is fit to use.
Beyond Rubber
Maximising revenue through by-product valorisation
Dandelion roots yield inulin alongside rubber, a natural sugar and prebiotic fibre with a global market of nearly $2 billion. One crop, two commercial streams.
One crop Dandelion root
Rubber
Primary output
Inulin
Nearly $2B global market
About QuberTech
Rooted in science. Built for industry.
QuberTech is an innovative UK based biotechnology company, founded to address the critical challenges faced by the $20 billion global natural rubber industry. A sector under increasing pressure due to sustainability concerns, geopolitical risk, climate vulnerability, and supply chain pressure.
-
Vision
Transforming the natural rubber industry with innovative, sustainable biotech solutions for a greener future.
-
Mission
To revolutionise natural rubber production through biotech innovation, delivering sustainable, high-quality, and traceable materials for global industries.
-
Where we work
At Norwich Research Park, alongside the John Innes Centre and the wider UK crop science base.
Why QuberTech
What partners get that the current supply chain cannot offer
-
Resilient supply
Production that does not depend on one climate, one region or one growing season.
-
Local production
Sited on brownfield or non-arable land, close to the industries that consume the material.
-
Reliable quality
A controlled environment means consistent specification, batch after batch.
-
Lower environmental pressure
No deforestation, a shorter transport footprint and full traceability end to end.
The Team
Scientists and operators building this at Norwich Research Park
A team drawn from crop biotechnology, genetics and commercial agricultural science, with an advisory bench spanning R&D strategy, regulation and finance.
01/12
-
Dr Ofir Meir
Co-founder & CEO
-
Dr Neil Clelland
Co-founder & CBO
-
Dr Rob Green
Head of R&D
-
Dr Oliver March
Head of Genomics
-
Dr Charlotte Green
Senior Scientist
-
Dr Cristina Gherghisan
Project Manager
-
Dr Carolina Olave
Scientist
-
Isabel Brown
Scientist
-
Eleanor Howard
Scientist
-
Will Alexander
Scientist
-
Lloyd Sayer
Scientist
-
Jodie Plom
HR & Office Manager
Advisors
- Dr David Lawrence R&D Strategy
- Ralph Fraundorfer Finance
- Jeff Nawn Regulatory
- Gal Yarden Investment & Science
- Jeff Martin Science, Technology & Marketing
- Brad Justice Inulin Expert
News
Latest from QuberTech
Coverage of the funding, the research base and the crop science behind the company.
All newsFunding
UK startup raises £3.4m to grow sustainable rubber from dandelions
Read the articleResearch
John Innes Centre wins Defra funding for crop innovations
Read the articleTechnology
Gene-edited dandelions to produce rubber
Read the article- 01
Funding
UK startup raises £3.4m to grow sustainable rubber from dandelions
- 02
Research
John Innes Centre wins Defra funding for crop innovations
- 03
Technology
Gene-edited dandelions to produce rubber
01/03
Work With Us
Secure your rubber supply before the gap widens
Whether you buy natural rubber at scale, invest in deep tech agriculture, or want to work in the lab, the conversation starts the same way.
Who We Work With
-
-
-
-
-
- Innovate UK
Why does the world need an alternative source of natural rubber?
Global production sits at roughly 14 million tonnes a year against demand of 15 million, a structural deficit of one million tonnes. Production is declining while demand grows at 4.7% a year, and 85% of supply comes from smallholders in regions exposed to climate stress, disease and geopolitical risk.
Why not simply use synthetic rubber?
Synthetic alternatives lack natural rubber's superior qualities and carry environmental risks of their own. For tyres, hoses, seals and other load-bearing applications, natural rubber remains the specification.
How does QuberTech produce rubber without a rubber tree?
We use biotechnology tools to improve alternative crops, dandelion roots among them, and grow them in a controlled environment. That decouples supply from weather, season and geography, and makes every batch traceable.
What does the EUDR mean for rubber buyers?
The European Union Deforestation Regulation is fundamentally transforming the global rubber industry: buyers must be able to prove their material is deforestation-free. Our production model is 100% traceable and uses brownfield or non-arable land, so that proof is built in.
What is inulin and why does it matter to the business case?
Inulin is a natural sugar and prebiotic fibre recovered from the same dandelion roots, serving a global market of nearly $2 billion across probiotics, bioethanol and bioplastics. It turns a single crop into two revenue streams and strengthens the economics of every harvest.
Where is QuberTech based?
At Norwich Research Park in Norwich, UK, alongside the John Innes Centre and the wider UK crop science base.
Contact
Start a conversation
Tell us what you need and the right person will come back to you. We usually reply within two working days.
- info@qubertech.uk
- Visit us
- Norwich Research Park
NR4 7UG, Norwich
United Kingdom - Follow