In Estonia, foodtech startup Äio has closed a €6.1 million ($6.8 million) funding round to build a demonstration-scale, fermentation-based production unit converting crop and wood waste into palm oil and animal fats. Investors included Voima Ventures, 2C Ventures, Nordic Foodtech VC, and SmartCap Green Fund. “Providing sustainable alternatives to products such as palm oil or […]
In Spain, EU Startups reported that Sonichem, an UK-based startup that converts low-value forestry by-products into high-value, renewable biochemicals, has secured $1.5 million in Pre-Series A funding including a follow-on investment by ACF Investors. The investment will be used to further develop its technology and finalize plans for a biorefinery plant. Adrian Black, CEO of […]
In East Midlands, UK, forestry waste-to-chemicals startup Sonichem has raised €1.4 million ($1.5 million) in a Pre-Series A funding, including a follow-on investment from ACF Investors. The funds will be used to advance its process technology, which is capable of converting £1 of sawdust into £8 worth of biobased chemicals, and to begin planning its […]
In the UK, Bio-Sep has secured $1.7 million its our green-tech that turns sawdust into sustainable biochemicals, from investors including London Business School’s Enterprise 100 investment club and ACF Investors, with additional participation from a hedge fund that specialises in climate and clean energy technology. Bio-Sep is currently upcycling sawdust, which is the most widely […]
In North Carolina, North Carolina State University researchers have developed a new biomaterial that could help solve the worsening problem of plastic pollution by discovering how to convert leftover sawdust powder and agro-residues into a Styrofoam-like packaging material. The wood-based material could someday replace the plastics found in many single-use items. With support from the […]
In Finland, acting on behalf of North European Bio Tech Oy (NEB), St1 has begun the analysis and signed letters of intent with Alholmens Kraft and UPM on a sawdust-based ethanol plant in the Alholma industrial area in Pietarsaari. The planned production capacity of the plant is 50 million litres of advanced bioethanol per year. […]
In Nigeria, a new project produces clean fuel for cooking stoves to replace kerosene using sawdust, grass and waste paper. The new gel fuel is selling for about $1 a liter, which is seeing uptake thanks to the scarcity in some areas of kerosene.
In Russia, the deputy transport minister has announced that the country will begin producing biojet fuel from sawdust due to the vast amount of forestry waste in the country. Though the fuel is not expected to be cheaper than kerosene, the government will not apply an environmental tax to it. More on the story.
In Florida, Methes Energies International Ltd. has introduced biodegradable bar and chain oil made with biobased feedstocks. Branded b2 biOil, the chainsaw oil is formulated for use with all makes and models of chainsaws in the harshest weather condition. The oil is made with domestically harvested vegetable oils (90-95%) and exhibits “excellent flow characteristics and […]
In Estonia, biotechnology startup ÄIO has raised €6.1 million through venture capital funds Voima Ventures, 2C Ventures, SmartCap and Nordic Foodtech VC. The funds will be used to build a demo plant in Estonia to produce environmentally friendly oils and fats from wood and agricultural residues, offering an alternative to the widely used oils in […]
