Fable&Co. gives lignin pioneer Nova Biochem its first real identity

The Brand Identity: Lignin is the polymer that gives wood and other plant matter much of its structure. In the pulp and paper industries, it’s separated out as a byproduct, with most of it sent for incineration. Nova Biochem treats that waste stream as a feedstock instead, converting lignin into high-value circular chemicals that stand in for the ones drawn from crude oil, across packaging, adhesives, coatings, inks and varnishes.

When the company reached the stage where its science needed a story to carry it into rooms with investors and industrial partners, it turned to UK-based design agency Fable&Co. There was little to build on, as Nova Biochem had never been through a formal branding process. As a bootstrapped deep-tech start-up, it had poured its energy into the technology, the fundraising and the validation. “The existing logo was a placeholder, and beyond LinkedIn, there was effectively no wider web presence,” explains CEO Alexander Novitskiy.

The business had moved well past the identity that represented it, having secured investment, proven the technology and formed industry partnerships, so Fable&Co. began from the ground up with the positioning, the identity, the messaging framework and the website. The strategy resolved to a single word: ‘Matter.’ It reads two ways at once, representing the literal world of materials as well as the broader idea of doing work that carries weight. “It was one of those ideas that felt instantly clear, memorable and impossible to ignore,” Ross Davison, Creative Director at Fable&Co., tells us.

They arrived there after testing a range of strategic territories, some leaning into future science, others into precision and performance. ‘Matter’ connects to both sides of Nova Biochem: the chemistry and the transformation on one hand, the long-term significance on the other. Settling on the word gave Fable&Co. something firmer to build on than the expected visual cues in biotech and cleantech. Rather than treating scientific references as mere decoration, they let the strategic idea drive the system, making molecular references more expressive and ownable.

“The aim was to create a brand that felt scientifically credible, commercially confident and visually elevated beyond the conventions of the space,” Davison adds. The mark that followed is the first test of that thinking. Fable&Co. found its starting point in the chemistry itself. The symbol derives from the structural formula of an aromatic compound, abstracted into a dot-based constellation that references molecular structure, dispersion and transformation.

“The placement of the dots follows an underlying structure inspired by chemical bonding and connectivity, creating a sense of rhythm, balance and interaction across the system,” Davison explains. The dots scatter and regroup across applications, behaving like matter in motion. Against an authoritative base of black, grey and white, a single accent does the talking: Catalyst Yellow. The choice is a deliberate refusal of the greens and earth tones that recur in sustainability-focused brands. “For Nova Biochem, sustainability is rooted in science and innovation, so the identity needed to feel more progressive and distinctive,” Davison details.

Article truncated for readability. Read the full piece →

The rebranding of Nova Biochem by Fable&Co. is significant as it showcases the transformation of a science-focused startup into a credible player in the industry, which is relevant for brand strategy professionals looking for insights on identity development.