Mercel – a spin out from Edinburgh Napier University

There are very few ‘eureka’ moments in science, but this was one of them, when scientists from Edinburgh Napier discovered they could use seaweed waste to produce a bio-degradable alternative to chemical plastics, which led to them spinning out as the business, Mercel.  

Mark Dorris and Dominic O’Rourke co-founded Mercel after working together at a research laboratory at Edinburgh Napier University. The University has supported their journey from a research lab to spin-out business in January 2024. 

With their innovative and sustainable solution, Mercel aims to empower companies and brands globally to adopt their technology, enhancing sustainability and reducing carbon footprints. 

Mark Dorris, Co-founder, Mercel said: 

“There are lots of microplastic products that are used in things simply because these products are run-offs from the fossil fuel industry. It’s not because they’re particularly good at what they do. But our approach is – it doesn’t just have to be sustainable – it has to be better.”

Dominic O’Rourke, Co-founder, Mercel: 

“Edinburgh Napier has been a great help to me personally and to Mercel. They gave me a job and supported me as an early career researcher, allowed me to develop the knowledge that enabled us to come up with the ideas, that they saw the potential in to support.”