Dot Ingredients, a climate-tech startup revolutionising the surfactant industry with its renewable Celluspheres™ technology, is delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Burns as a strategic advisor. Neil’s extensive global experience in specialty chemicals and surfactants will help Dot scale its breakthrough cellulose particle surfactants, accelerating commercialisation and impact.
Neil Burns is a renowned leader in the global surfactants and specialty chemicals sectors. Over his 30+ year career, he has founded, scaled, and advised companies in the chemical and ingredients industries. Neil is Managing Partner at Neil A Burns LLC, a US advisory firm providing consulting and strategy services to the surfactant, oleochemicals, and specialty chemicals industries. He has co-founded multiple successful ventures, including P2 Science, an innovative renewable chemistry company, and has served on the boards and advisory teams of several high-growth businesses. Neil is also well known for organising the industry’s leading Surfactants Conference series in partnership with ICIS.
Neil Burns said:
“Dot Ingredients represents the kind of innovation our industry needs—using renewable raw materials to create novel, patented, high-performance ingredients that can play a huge commercial role in the surfactant supply chain. I’m excited to support Dot’s journey as it commercialises its technology and builds partnerships to transform the surfactants market.”
Dot Ingredients, formerly known as Spherelose®, was founded on research from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) by Associate Professor Jack Chen. The company has developed Celluspheres™, a novel, renewable surfactant derived from wood pulp cellulose, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional surfactants made from petrochemicals or palm oil.
Surfactants are a cornerstone of modern life—used in everyday products such as moisturisers, pharmaceuticals, foods, soaps, haircare, and cleaning, and industrial applications from coatings to agricultural formulations. The global surfactant market is valued at approximately NZD $85 billion annually, but its environmental footprint is significant, with the supply chain dominated by fossil fuels and palm oil.
Dr Michael Fielding, CEO of Dot Ingredients, commented:
“We’re honoured to have Neil join us as an advisor. His deep sector knowledge, global network, and passion for sustainable innovation will be invaluable as we scale our Cellusphere™ technology and bring renewable surfactants to the global market.”
Dot is backed by Motion Capital, the lead investor in a recent NZD $350k early funding round, alongside the Climate Venture Capital Fund (CVCF) and the AUT Innovation Fund. The company is currently participating in the Aurora Climate Lab, New Zealand’s leading climate-tech accelerator, supporting start-ups tackling global decarbonisation challenges. Dot has received support from AUT Ventures, KiwiNet, and the Ministry of Awesome’s Founder Catalyst.
Dot will use this strategic advisory appointment, alongside recent funding, to deepen industry partnerships and prepare for its upcoming Seed funding round.