PlantSwitch raises $17M Series A to swap plastic at the 2026 World Cup
What's the deal? PlantSwitch, a startup making compostable alternatives to plastic cutlery, cups, and food containers, has closed US$11M Series A round, bringing its total funding to $28M. The company has landed a deal to supply SoFi StadiumDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the 70,000-seat Los Angeles venue hosting eight FIFADealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → 2026 World Cup matches — with plant-based cups and cutlery.
PlantSwitch takes agricultural waste like rice hulls and wheat straw and moulds them into products that "feel and function like plastic," according to CEO Dillon BaxterDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Unlike traditional plastic, the materials break down naturally within ten weeks.
The startup counts over 100 clients, including salad producer Taylor FarmsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (whose packaged salads at WalmartDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → now come in compostable bowls), Elon MuskDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s Starlink (at its corporate campuses), and Live NationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
Why now? Wars, shipping delays, and supply-chain disruptions have pushed plastic prices to an all-time high — narrowing the cost gap between conventional and compostable alternatives. The World Cup's arrival at SoFi Stadium gives PlantSwitch a massive global stage.
The US alone discards nearly 100 million utensils every day. "There's not many industries where you have billions and billions of units moving," Baxter says.
What could go wrong? PlantSwitch forks still cost more than plastic ones. Previous green alternatives — soggy paper straws, awkward wooden cutlery — have failed because they were pricier for businesses and worse for consumers. Scaling production enough to compete on price with plastic remains the central challenge.
The signal: PlantSwitch's Series A lands as the cost gap between compostable and conventional plastic narrows — a macro shift that could turn sustainable packaging from a premium niche into a default choice for high-volume food-service buyers.
Read more: Forbes
