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§ Private Profile · Chicago, IL, USA
Collaboration platform for the AEC industry, improving design workflows and knowledge sharing, focused on reducing project inefficiencies.
Archipelago is an architecture and urban planning firm specializing in sustainable design and complex building projects, with dual headquarters based in Brussels and Leuven, Belgium. The organization generates its revenue through fee-for-service architectural design, urban planning, and project management consulting, primarily serving the healthcare, education, research laboratory, corporate workspace, and broader public infrastructure sectors. Operating with a workforce of approximately 140 architects, urban planners, and support staff, the firm executes projects with a focus on ecological sustainability and specialized healthcare requirements. Archipelago manages large regional developments and has secured major design contracts for notable clients and facilities, including the 80,000-square-meter Jules Bordet Institute and the Grand Hôpital de Charleroi. The practice was officially founded in 2019 through the strategic merger of established Belgian architecture firms BAEV and ar-te to further consolidate their European market presence.
Archipelago has raised $34.0M across 1 funding round.
Archipelago has raised $34.0M in total across 1 funding round.
# Archipelago Technology Group: High-Level Overview
Archipelago Technology Group is a UK-based technology company specializing in precision coating solutions for industrial applications, with a focus on enabling sustainable packaging alternatives.[1][4] Founded in 2012 and headquartered at St Johns Innovation Centre in Cambridge, the company develops and commercializes its proprietary Powerdrop technology—a high-speed, low-waste inkjet coating system that applies protective barriers to paper-based and molded fiber packaging with millimeter accuracy.[1][4] The company serves manufacturers in packaging, furniture, and related industries seeking to reduce costs and environmental impact by transitioning from traditional plastic-based materials to recyclable alternatives.
Archipelago's core offering addresses a critical market need: enabling paper and fiber-based packaging to replace plastic while maintaining essential barrier properties like water and oil resistance.[4] Rather than selling a single product, Archipelago provides an end-to-end solution, including hardware, coating formulations, and process optimization tailored to each customer's specific barrier performance requirements.[4]
# Origin Story
Archipelago Technology Group was incorporated on 4 September 2012 as a private limited company.[3] The company emerged from research and development work in precision coating technology, positioning itself as an entrepreneurial venture focused on solving industrial application challenges.[2] Based in Cambridge—a hub for deep-tech innovation—the company has built its operations around a single, transformative technology platform rather than pursuing a broad product portfolio.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Archipelago operates at the intersection of two powerful trends: the circular economy transition and advanced manufacturing automation. As regulatory pressure on single-use plastics intensifies globally, companies face urgent demand to redesign packaging without sacrificing functionality. Archipelago's technology directly enables this transition by making paper-based alternatives technically and economically competitive.
The company also represents a broader shift toward precision application technologies in industrial manufacturing—using inkjet and digital coating methods to replace spray, dip, and other traditional techniques that generate waste and inconsistency. This aligns with Industry 4.0 trends emphasizing efficiency, customization, and sustainability.
Archipelago's location in Cambridge and participation in innovation networks (such as Innovation Zero World 2026) positions it within the UK's deep-tech ecosystem, where it influences how manufacturers approach sustainable packaging redesign.[4]
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Archipelago is well-positioned to capture growing demand from packaging manufacturers seeking to meet sustainability mandates without compromising product performance. The company's focus on a single, highly differentiated technology—rather than diversification—suggests a strategy of deep market penetration in sustainable packaging rather than horizontal expansion.
Key factors shaping the company's trajectory include: accelerating regulatory restrictions on plastic packaging, increasing customer willingness to invest in barrier coating infrastructure, and potential expansion into adjacent industries (agriculture, furniture coatings) where precision application offers similar advantages.[1] As the circular economy becomes mandatory rather than aspirational, companies like Archipelago that enable the technical transition will likely see sustained demand growth.
The company's modest current scale (<25 employees, <$5 million revenue)[1] indicates it remains in early commercialization—suggesting significant runway for growth as adoption accelerates across the packaging industry.
Archipelago has raised $34.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $34.0M Series B in April 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2021 | $34M Series B | Scale Venture Partners | Digital Currency Group, Tucker Seed Fund LLC, Justin Mateen, Canaan Partners, Ignition Partners, Jeff Bray, Stone Point Capital, Zigg Capital | Announced |
Archipelago has raised $34.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Archipelago's investors include Scale Venture Partners, Digital Currency Group, Tucker Seed Fund LLC, Justin Mateen, Canaan Partners, Ignition Partners, Jeff Bray, Stone Point Capital, Zigg Capital.