Founder Andy Flynn, initially focused on selling his innovative plant pots, unknowingly pitched his entire company to Steve and Julie Chapin of US-based JARS Capital. The American investors, visiting the prestigious horticultural event purely for leisure, were so impressed by Mr Flynn and POTR’s sustainable innovation and commercial potential that they decided to invest $670,000.

This significant injection of capital is set to fuel the next stage of growth for the Glasgow-based start-up, which operates out of the Smart Things Accelerator Centre. POTR, founded in 2019 by Mr Flynn and his wife Eilidh Cunningham, is renowned for its hero product: a flat-packed, self-watering plant pot crafted from recycled materials. The company, which also sells a popular letterbox vase, aims to create beautifully designed, sustainably made products that simplify plant care while minimising waste.

Julie Chapin said: “It’s not like any investment we’ve made before. But the sustainable innovation, commercial potential, and the genuine connection I felt as a gardener and consumer made it one of those rare products that is special and we wanted to support it.”

“People buy from people – whether it’s a plant pot or an investment. We believed in Andy from the moment we met him.

“They’ve already had early success in the United States, but we believe there’s huge potential to make this a truly global product. This funding will enable the team to do that.”

As well as securing investment, the product attracted the attention of another seasoned investor – Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden – who named POTR’s origami self-watering plant pot the Chelsea Flower Show’s Sustainable Product of the Year.

“I thought I was just selling our product,” said Mr Flynn, who is also a lecturer at Glasgow School of Art. “I didn’t realise I was selling the company. Being a designer, I never thought selling would come naturally to me, but I’m so passionate about the product – I believe in the change it can make to people, both by bringing a small slice of joy into their lives and by making them think about sustainability in every act – that it comes easily.

“It just goes to show, you never know who’s walking past your stand. The important thing is to believe so much in what you’re building that it comes across naturally – because the right people can spot that. They’re not just buying what you’re selling, but what you stand for.”

Founded in 2019, POTR’s hero product is a flat-packed, self-watering plant pot made from recycled materials. The concept is simple yet powerful: beautifully designed, sustainably made products that help customers care for plants with less waste and less effort. The company also sells a popular letterbox vase.

The brand has been on a strong growth trajectory since Mr Flynn and Mrs Cunningham – an experienced marketing leader – quit their jobs to focus on POTR full time. It has secured partnerships with major retailers including Uncommon Goods in the US, Bloom & Wild and John Lewis in the UK, and Bloomee in Japan.

Mr Flynn recently returned from the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, with the company continuing to build momentum ahead of another appearance at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, where it is in contention for further awards.

In addition to its Chelsea accolade, POTR has captured a GIMA Award and a Spotlight Award at Top Drawer. Mr Flynn and his team have exhibited at major trade shows such as AmericasMart, New York Now, and Shoppe Object, bringing on more than 40 new American retailers. Their first major US order with Uncommon Goods sold out within five days.

The new investment will be used to scale impact-led production, expand the team, deepen the brand’s presence in the US and Asia, and accelerate product development.

“JARS Capital really believe in what we’re trying to do,” added Mrs Cunningham, now chief commercial officer. “They’re investing in the bigger vision of sustainable, design-led innovation. That belief is just as important as the funding.

“Our focus is on creating products that genuinely make a difference – and doing that at scale, without compromising our values.”

POTR is forecasting 70 per cent year-on-year growth for 2025, with a sharpened focus on building its position as a category-defining sustainable brand within the home and garden space. A key part of that ambition is a collaboration with Waterhaul, another circular economy innovator, to help scale positive-impact production.