Asics Ventures Corporation, an investment subsidiary of Japanese sporting goods giant Asics, has taken a stake in Israeli startup Seevix Material Sciences Ltd, which develops and manufactures synthetic spider silk.
Founded in 2014 following more than a decade of academic research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Seevix manufactures its patented man-made spider silk, SVX, through biomimicry in a controlled fermenter-based process.
According to the firm, SVX is a bio protein functional silk, with sustainability characteristics possessing the fibre’s natural properties, to create thinner, lighter and tougher products on a commercial scale.
Asics says its Institute of Sport Science will work in collaboration with Seevix to develop sporting goods utilising SVX spider silk.
The move comes after Asics Ventures’ 2018 investment in AI Silk Corporation, a venture company affiliated with Tohoku University that develops conductive textiles.
Asics says it continues to introduce advanced technologies into its products to improve both sustainability and functionality and has shifted to sustainable materials, including those deriving from biotechnology, by collaborating with external partners.
