Italian startup Movopack raises £2 million to launch circular e-commerce packaging in UK via Royal Mail

Movopack, a company providing e-commerce platforms with circular and sustainable packaging, has raised a £2 million seed funding round led by early-stage investor 360 Capital, with participation from Greiner Innoventures and Techstars.

The cash will go towards the firm’s official launch in the UK - its first expansion outside of Italy.

The aim is to allow consumers to easily return packaging through the Royal Mail postal system, providing access to any of its 115,000 postboxes across the country.

The Milan headquartered company was co-founded by high school friends Tomaso Torriani (CEO), Alberto Cisco (CCO), and Andrea Cipollone (COO), who recognised the environmental oversight of single-use e-commerce packaging and the lack of affordable and practical sustainable alternatives.

Movopack’s packaging, made from recycled plastic bottles (rPET) and woven recycled polypropylene (PP), is designed to endure postal handling and can be reused by retailers up to 20 times.

Tomaso Torriani, CEO and Co-founder at Movopack, comments: “This funding round demonstrates the growing enthusiasm for Movopack's potential to transform the e-commerce industry with sustainable, circular packaging solutions.”

“We’re particularly excited about this investment as it enables us to launch in the UK at a time when the demand for sustainable solutions has never been stronger. Consumers and brands alike are seeking impactful ways to contribute to a world where societies and economies can grow and thrive without compromising the environment - and we are here to meet that need. We’re working on making sustainability not just an option, but a standard in e-commerce."

Lucrezia Lucotti, Partner at 360 Capital, says: “To date, sustainable packaging for e-commerce has garnered growing attention; however, it continues to be marked by fragmentation, and, notably, a lack of digital integration.”

“We are backing the movement to make e-commerce more sustainable through our investment in Movopack’s returnable e-commerce packaging. As they launch in the UK, we believe they are perfectly positioned to lead the charge in transforming how brands implement sustainable practices, and we are glad to support their mission.”

Lukas Seemann, Senior Investment Manager at Greiner Innoventures, says: “Our investment reflects our commitment to driving innovation within the packaging industry, particularly in offering sustainable approaches. By supporting Movopack, we are investing in a promising startup dedicated to reusable packaging solutions, which aligns with our strategic focus on circular economy initiatives.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Green retail was a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended last week’s gathering.