Syzygy Plasmonics

What Syzygy Plasmonics does

Syzygy Plasmonics is a Houston-based private company developing light-driven photocatalytic chemical reactors that convert waste biogas and renewable electricity into low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Its core technology stack comprises the Rigel™ photonic reactor, which uses proprietary plasmonic photocatalysts to drive reforming reactions with photonic energy in place of combustion, and the GHG e-Reforming™ process, an electrified reforming pathway that integrates downstream with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis licensed from Velocys and Honeywell to produce synthetic paraffinic kerosene. The integrated end-to-end offering is branded NovaSAF™, a biogas-to-SAF pathway with dual ISCC EU RFNBO and Advanced BioSAF pre-certification and CORSIA alignment.

The company's commercial model rests on two complementary revenue streams. First, Syzygy produces and sells SAF directly under long-dated offtake contracts with commodity trading and fuel distribution counterparties, anchored by a binding six-year agreement with Trafigura covering the entire output of the NovaSAF-1 facility in Uruguay and a capacity reservation with World Fuel Services. Second, the company licenses its Rigel reactor and e-Reforming technology, and co-develops commercial-scale projects with regional partners across Brazil (Geo biogas&carbon), Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, and the US, targeting 1 million tonnes/year of SAF capacity by 2035.

Syzygy is venture-backed, with disclosed cumulative funding of approximately $76.7 million in a Series C led by Carbon Direct Capital in November 2022, supplemented by strategic investments from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Zeon Corporation, and Tüpraş Ventures, alongside a corporate investor base that includes Toyota, Equinor, Lotte, Chevron, BP, Aramco, Sumitomo, and Pan American Energy. The company has 101–250 employees, operates engineering and testing facilities in Houston and Pearland (Texas), and holds its Uruguayan operations through the wholly-owned subsidiary SP Developments Uruguay S.A. Management is led by CEO and co-founder Trevor Best, with co-founder Suman Khatiwada as CTO. The company remains pre-revenue, with first commercial SAF from NovaSAF-1 targeted for Q2 2028.

Name

Syzygy Plasmonics

Legal name

Syzygy Plasmonics, Inc.

Website

https://plasmonics.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Syzygy Plasmonics is a Houston-based private company developing light-driven photocatalytic reactors that convert waste biogas and renewable electricity into low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel, selling SAF via long-dated offtake agreements and licensing its Rigel and NovaSAF technology to fuel project developers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Technology

NAICS

Petroleum Refineries (32411), Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ) (EUAAAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) & Alternative Fuels (e-fuels, biofuels, hydrogen) (THABANAA), Biofuel Upgrading, Hydrotreating & Refining (Co-processing, Isomerization) (EUAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Sustainable aviation fuel
• Photonic reactor technology
• Biogas-to-SAF conversion
• Photocatalytic chemical reactors
• Electrified reforming technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. SAF Sales: Revenue from selling sustainable aviation fuel produced at commercial facilities. First commercial plant NovaSAF-1 in Uruguay will produce SAF with first deliveries targeted for 2028. Six-year binding offtake agreement with Trafigura covers entire production volume of first plant.
2. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary photonic reactor technology and GHG e-Reforming process to project developers globally. Partnerships in Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Turkey, and US involve co-development of commercial-scale SAF facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Syzygy Plasmonics develops and commercializes proprietary light-driven photocatalytic reactor technology that converts waste biogas (from landfills, dairy operations, and agricultural waste) and renewable electricity into low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Its integrated offering combines the Rigel photonic reactor hardware, the GHG e-Reforming electrified process, and the NovaSAF biogas-to-SAF pathway (paired with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis) to deliver RFNBO- and Advanced BioSAF-eligible fuel at sub-$3/gal projected cost at scale.

Product overview

Syzygy Plasmonics offers a unified product portfolio centered on its proprietary light-driven chemical reactor technology for sustainable aviation fuel production. The core offerings include the Rigel™ photonic reactor (the hardware platform employing proprietary photocatalysts), the GHG e-Reforming™ process (the electrified reforming technology that converts biogas to syncrude using light rather than combustion), and the NovaSAF™ solution (the complete biogas-to-SAF pathway integrating these technologies with Velocys' Fischer-Tropsch technology). The company operates a modular cell-stack architecture that enables deployment at small and medium-scale biogas sources, aggregating stranded assets into commercial-scale fuel volumes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NovaSAF: Syzygy's biogas-to-sustainable aviation fuel pathway platform that converts waste biogas and renewable electricity into affordable, low-carbon aviation fuel
• Rigel
• GHG e-Reforming

Products and services

• NovaSAF™ Syzygy's flagship biogas-to-sustainable aviation fuel pathway that converts waste biogas (from landfills, dairy operations, and agricultural waste) and renewable electricity into low-carbon SAF using proprietary photocatalysis. The platform has been independently pre-assessed as eligible for both ISCC EU RFNBO and Advanced BioSAF certification, achieving approximately 80% carbon intensity reduction versus Jet-A and 90% lower lifecycle emissions than conventional jet fuel. Designed for project developers, airlines, and fuel buyers.
• Rigel™ Photonic Reactor Proprietary light-driven chemical reactor employing proprietary photocatalysts that uses photonic energy to drive reforming reactions, eliminating process emissions and enabling new economics for chemical manufacturing. Modular cell-stack architecture enables deployment at small and medium-scale biogas sources where competing technologies cannot operate economically. Sold/licensed to project developers and industrial partners for chemical and fuel production.
• GHG e-Reforming™ Proprietary electrified reforming technology that converts biogas and renewable electricity into sustainable aviation fuel without high heat or combustion, achieving approximately 85% SAF output rate with the remainder being low-emission naphtha. The process underpins the NovaSAF pathway and is the technical foundation licensed to project developers globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% lower lifecycle emissions than conventional jet fuel
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• World Fuel ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 June 2026Capacity reservation agreement to reserve portion of future SAF output from planned commercial-scale facilities in Central and South America. Provides early pathway to market for NovaSAF platform.
• Geo biogas&carbonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026MOU for Brazil SAF projects converting sugarcane waste biogas to SAF. Initial projects targeting up to 100,000 tonnes/year with long-term expansion exceeding 525,000 tonnes annually. Partnership leverages Geo's biogas asset network with Syzygy's electrified e-Reforming technology.
• NorthStar Renewable FuelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026MOU for SAF production partnership targeting one million tons per year by 2035.
• Islonias SLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026MOU for SAF production partnership targeting one million tons per year by 2035.
• Mexican SAF ProducercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026MOU for SAF production partnership targeting one million tons per year by 2035.
• Lotte ChemicalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2026Successful trial of ammonia e-cracking unit to unlock ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in Asia. Partnership demonstrates potential for ammonia-based hydrogen supply to Japan.
• TrafiguraflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 January 2026Binding six-year SAF offtake agreement covering entire production volume of NovaSAF-1 facility in Durazno, Uruguay with first deliveries targeted for 2028. Includes option for Trafigura to purchase additional volumes from future Syzygy projects. Provides commercial certainty for construction financing.
• HoneywellcoreTechnology or Integration · 28 August 2025Honeywell's Fischer-Tropsch technologies integrated into NovaSAF-1 facility for converting biogas-derived synthesis gas into synthetic paraffinic kerosene SAF.
• VelocysflagshipTechnology or Integration · 16 July 2025Velocys selected as Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology licensor for NovaSAF-1 biogas-to-SAF project in Uruguay. Velocys' microFTL technology enables cost-competitive FT synthesis. Achieved 50% CAPEX reduction for NovaSAF-1 through modularization and standardization.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Topsoe: Topsoe licenses hydroprocessing and SAF production technologies (including its HydroFlex and e-jet fuel routes). As a broad incumbent in SAF process technology, it competes with Syzygy for technology licensing relationships with project developers and refiners transitioning to SAF.
• Neste: Neste is the world's largest SAF and renewable diesel producer via the HEFA pathway. As the incumbent dominating SAF supply today, it sets the competitive benchmark Syzygy must undercut on cost and carbon intensity to win mandate-driven offtake from airlines.

Direct peers

• Sunfire: Sunfire is a German Power-to-Liquids developer producing e-SAF, e-diesel, and e-kerosene via high-temperature co-electrolysis and FT synthesis. It directly competes with Syzygy for RFNBO-compliant SAF offtake agreements with European airlines and mandate-driven buyers.
• Infinium: Infinium produces e-fuels including e-SAF via reverse-water-gas-shift and FT synthesis from green hydrogen and captured CO2. It directly competes with Syzygy's NovaSAF pathway for the RFNBO-eligible SAF mandate market and shares reliance on Fischer-Tropsch integration partners.
• LanzaTech: LanzaTech develops gas fermentation technology that converts waste gases (including biogas) into ethanol and SAF precursors. It is the most direct competitor to Syzygy in the novel-waste-to-SAF pathway space, targeting similar airline customers and competing for the same RFNBO/Advanced Biofuel compliance premiums.
• Velocys: Velocys is the Fischer-Tropsch technology licensor integrated into Syzygy's NovaSAF-1 facility. It is also a competing FT-to-SAF technology provider with its own microFTL platform, placing it in direct competition for FT-based SAF projects globally while serving as Syzygy's partner on the flagship Uruguay plant.
• HIF Global: HIF Global is a leading e-fuels developer producing e-SAF, e-gasoline, and e-diesel from green hydrogen and captured CO2 using FT synthesis. It competes head-to-head with Syzygy for RFNBO-compliant SAF demand and for global project co-development partnerships.

Emerging players

• Prometheus Fuels: Prometheus develops direct-air-capture-to-fuels technology producing drop-in gasoline and jet fuel from atmospheric CO2. It targets the same low-carbon aviation fuel compliance market as Syzygy via an alternative novel pathway (DAC + electrochemistry vs. photocatalysis + FT).
• Aemetis: Aemetis develops renewable diesel and SAF from low-carbon feedstocks including dairy biogas. It overlaps with Syzygy on biogas-to-fuels routes and targets the same California/US 45Z low-carbon fuel credit and airline SAF demand, though using conventional rather than photocatalytic conversion.
• Twelve: Twelve converts captured CO2 into chemicals and fuels (including SAF precursors) using proprietary electrochemical technology. It competes with Syzygy in the novel-waste-or-CO2-to-SAF pathway category and pursues similar airline offtake and corporate sustainability buyer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/syzygy-plasmonics
• Xx.com/SyzygyPlasmonic

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors18 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Syzygy Plasmonics