BIOWEG raises €16M to scale biotech solution tackling microplastic pollution — TFN

Microplastic air pollution has emerged as one of the crucial urgent environmental challenges, infiltrating industries from cosmetics to agriculture. BIOWEG, a German biotech startup, is stepping up with an answer that converts agricultural waste streams comparable to molasses and starches into biodegradable options to those persistent microplastic pollution utilizing bacterial cellulose.

The corporate not too long ago closed a €16 million Sequence A spherical led by Axeleo Capital, alongside investments from the EIC Fund, NBank Capital, BonVenture, and early seed investor Dr.-Ing. Frank Jenner. 

The contemporary capital will speed up the build-out of Europe’s first large-scale industrial bacterial cellulose plant situated in Germany, marking a major step towards phasing out fossil-based polymers.

Changing persistent, fossil-based polymers with biotech-made, biodegradable components

Based in 2019 by Dr. Prateek Mahalwar, who holds a PhD in Biology from the Max Planck Institute and has consulting expertise at EY Parthenon, and COO Srinivas Karuturi, with a background spanning biotechnology, manufacturing, and monetary providers at Mercedes-Benz and Deutsche Financial institution, BIOWEG’s mission is evident.

“We noticed a transparent alternative to interchange persistent, fossil-based polymers with biotech-made, biodegradable components with out compromising efficiency, beginning with stable microplastics in cosmetics after which increasing into different codecs and sectors. That’s been our north star from day one,” says Dr. Mahalwar in a dialog with TFN.

What units BIOWEG aside? 

BIOWEG’s proprietary, patent-pending, zero-waste precision fermentation course of transforms low-value meals business by-products into high-purity bacterial cellulose. 

Via inexperienced chemistry, that is refined into distinct product traces like RheoWeg (rheology modifiers), MicBeads (micropowders), AgriWeg (seed and fertiliser coatings), and HydroWeg (hydrocolloids for various functions). 

The flagship RW100 rheology modifier delivers distinctive suspension stability, even at low dosages, permitting for the suspension of components in shampoo at simply 0.1%. Their MicBeads micropowders take in oil and sweat thrice sooner than standard microbeads and break down much more cleanly within the setting.

BIOWEG is collaborating with artificial biology powerhouse Ginkgo Bioworks to refine fermentation strains and scale manufacturing successfully. Operations at the moment run out of a pilot facility with a roughly six-tonne annual capability, however the brand new plant deliberate in Germany will probably be co-located with a significant sugar producer to safe dependable feedstock and scale back prices.

Past microplastics, BIOWEG’s supplies goal to interchange a broad spectrum of fossil-based artificial polymers, together with acrylates and polystyrene, that are broadly utilized in cosmetics, private care, and agriculture. 

“In cosmetics alone, microplastics account for an estimated 301,000 tons per yr within the EU, linked to roughly 2.4 million tons of CO₂ emissions. That’s the sort of footprint we’re working to take away,” Dr. Mahalwar notes.

BIOWEG’s opponents embrace established chemical giants like Dow and BASF, which produce artificial polymers and polyethene microbeads, in addition to companies comparable to CPKelco and Ashland, which specialize in modified plant-based cellulose or starches, and mineral-based ingredient suppliers like Imerys. 

But BIOWEG’s bacterial cellulose platform stands out by delivering polymer-level efficiency whereas boasting true biodegradability and adhering to sustainable, inexperienced chemistry rules, providing a scalable and round resolution that challenges well-entrenched incumbent supplies.

What’s subsequent?

Wanting forward, BIOWEG plans to transition from pilot-scale to industrial manufacturing, increase its product portfolio, and strengthen partnerships throughout Europe. 

As Dr. Mahalwar summarises: “We’re constructing a supplies platform to assist manufacturers meet efficiency targets and part out microplastics and fossil-based polymers, beginning in cosmetics and increasing from there. Recognition from the business has given us a lift, however the true milestone will probably be seeing these cleaner, biotech-made supplies in on a regular basis merchandise.”