Hexigone Inhibitors has secured a GBP £1.2 million funding package, including a GBP £500,000 investment from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund's Defence & Security Seed portfolio.
The West Wales advanced materials company also raised GBP £300,000 from angel investors and secured a further GBP £400,000 Innovate UK grant. The funding will support commercial scale-up, overseas expansion and circular economy manufacturing.
Hexigone develops corrosion inhibitors for defence, marine and industrial markets. Its products are designed to extend the life of metal assets while reducing reliance on anti-corrosion chemicals containing heavy metals or other toxic substances.
Corrosion remains a costly problem across sectors that rely on ships, offshore structures and industrial equipment exposed to harsh conditions. Protective coatings are widely used to preserve these assets, particularly where operators need to reduce maintenance cycles and avoid downtime.
Its Intelli-ion technology is designed to activate only when corrosion begins and is used at lower dosages than traditional inhibitors.
Defence backing
Backing from the Defence & Security Seed portfolio underlines the company's relevance to military infrastructure as well as commercial markets. The fund, supported by the Ministry of Defence, focuses on dual-use technologies with both security and civilian applications.
UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital, led the investment. The fund backs businesses emerging from the UK's publicly funded science and research base in areas including engineering, biology, defence and fusion energy.
Founder and CEO Patrick Dodds outlined the company's market position and the significance of the new funding.
"Corrosion is a major global challenge, yet many traditional solutions rely on legacy chemistries that are less sustainable. This investment enables us to accelerate commercial deployment of our technology, deepen our work across defence and industrial markets, and continue developing innovative solutions that reduce waste and improve material circularity. UKI2S immediately understood both the commercial potential and strategic importance of what we're building. Having an investor that shares our long-term vision - and understands the importance of supporting advanced materials innovation in this sector - is hugely valuable as we scale further. The round remains open to secure a further £300-£500k to support the next phase of commercial growth, and we would welcome conversations with investors interested in joining us on this journey," said Patrick Dodds, Founder and CEO of Hexigone.
The company's focus on lower-toxicity chemistry comes as manufacturers and infrastructure operators face closer scrutiny over environmental impact and the durability of materials used in critical assets. Demand has grown for products that can extend service life without relying on older formulations associated with heavier environmental burdens.
Industrial use
Hexigone's technology has applications across the industrial, transport and defence sectors, including naval vessels, offshore energy infrastructure and broader industrial equipment.
Advanced materials businesses in the UK have drawn interest from public-backed funds where national infrastructure resilience overlaps with commercial demand. Corrosion prevention falls into this category because failure of protective coatings can increase costs, shorten asset life and disrupt operations.
Managing Director Alex Leigh said Hexigone matched the fund's investment thesis.
"Hexigone is an excellent example of the kind of dual-use innovation the Defence & Security portfolio is designed to support. Advanced materials and protective technologies play a critical role in maintaining operational resilience across defence infrastructure, particularly in harsh maritime environments where corrosion creates significant economic and operational challenges. Hexigone's technology combines strong commercial potential with clear strategic relevance, offering a more environmentally responsible approach to corrosion resistance while supporting long-term resilience for critical assets. We're delighted to support the company as it scales its technology, strengthens UK advanced manufacturing capability, and develops solutions with significant applications across both defence and commercial industries," said Alex Leigh, Managing Director of UKI2S.
The Royal Navy also highlighted the importance of corrosion protection for defence assets operating in demanding environments. Naval fleets and related infrastructure require constant maintenance because exposure to salt water and severe weather can degrade metal structures over time.
"Innovative technologies that improve the resilience, sustainability and operational performance of critical defence infrastructure are critical to the Royal Navy's warfighting capability. Hexigone's work demonstrates the strength of the UK's advanced materials sector and the value of supporting early-stage companies developing solutions to protect critical infrastructure in both defence and commercial applications. It's encouraging to see UKI2S's funding accelerate technologies contributing to the long-term protection and durability of critical defence assets operating in some of the world's harshest environments," said Paul Wilkinson, Head of Ventures at the UK Royal Navy.