Newlight Technologies
Newlight Technologies produces AirCarbon, a carbon-negative PHB bioplastic made from greenhouse gases by natural microorganisms, supplying enterprise brands in fashion, foodware, packaging, and eyewear via direct sales and the AirCarbon Alliance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersHuntington Beach, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Newlight Technologies does
Newlight Technologies, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, is a private climate-tech company that produces a carbon-negative biomaterial branded AirCarbon. The core technology uses naturally occurring microorganisms to convert air and greenhouse gases (CO2e) into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHB), a meltable bioplastic that can be formed into fiber, sheet, and molded parts for foodware, packaging, fashion, eyewear, and other consumer and industrial applications. AirCarbon is FDA food contact approved (FCN 1754), home compostable (OK Compost Home, TUV Austria), dishwasher-safe, and certified carbon-negative by Carbon Trust, SCS Global Services, and ECG Global Solutions under ISO 14046-3 and PAS 2050:2011. Independent data cites 88 kg of CO2 sequestered per kilogram of AirCarbon produced.
The company operates a B2B enterprise model with two go-to-market motions. First, direct field sales to large brands including Nike, H&M, Shake Shack, and eyewear manufacturers that integrate AirCarbon into their products. Second, a partnership channel called the AirCarbon Alliance that connects polymer manufacturers, product testing organizations, supply chain partners, and environmental leaders to deliver tailored Aircarbon Alloy solutions and scaled production capacity. Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed but consist of biomaterial sales (one-time/license) and Alliance-based arrangements (licensing/royalties). The proprietary production platform is anchored by Eagle 3, commissioned in 2019 and described as the world's first fully-integrated commercial-scale production system using air and greenhouse gas to make PHB bioplastic. The company is venture-backed, with a $125 million equity round in August 2023 led by GenZero alongside Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Charter Next Generation, bringing cumulative funding above $230 million across multiple rounds since 2013.
Newlight Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Newlight Technologies
- Legal name
- Newlight Technologies, Inc.
- Website
- https://newlight.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Newlight Technologies produces AirCarbon, a carbon-negative PHB bioplastic made from greenhouse gases by natural microorganisms, supplying enterprise brands in fashion, foodware, packaging, and eyewear via direct sales and the AirCarbon Alliance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Newlight Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Biomaterials / Bioplastics
- NAICS
- Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (32519), Chemical Manufacturing (325)
- SIC
- Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CO₂‑to‑Polymers & Plastics (polycarbonates, polyols, polyurethane intermediates, specialty polymers) (EUABAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bio-based Platform & Commodity Chemicals (e.g., bio-ethylene, bio-propylene, bio-BTX, bio-methanol) (EUAAAIAA), CO₂‑to‑Chemicals (C1/C2+ chemicals: formic acid, CO, syngas, ethylene/propylene pathways) (EUABAIAC)
Keywords
Where Newlight Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntington Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Newlight Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- AirCarbon biomaterial sales: Sale of AirCarbon biomaterial (PHB-based) to brands for use in products. The material can be melted and formed into fiber, sheet, solid parts, and molded shapes - replacing traditional plastic, fiber, and leather in various applications.
- Aircarbon Alliance partnerships: Partnership model where companies incorporate Aircarbon into products under the Alliance program, enabling scaled production capacity and tailored Aircarbon Alloy solutions.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Newlight Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Newlight Technologies manufactures and sells AirCarbon, a carbon-negative biomaterial produced by naturally occurring microorganisms that convert air and greenhouse gas (CO2e) into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHB) bioplastic. The material is meltable and formable into fiber, sheet, and solid parts for use in foodware, fashion, and packaging applications, and is sold to enterprise brand customers directly and through the Aircarbon Alliance partner program.
Product overview
Newlight Technologies offers a single unified biomaterial product called AirCarbon, along with its variant Aircarbon Alloy. AirCarbon is a carbon-negative material produced by microorganisms that convert greenhouse gases into PHB (polyhydroxyalkanoate), which can be melted and formed into various shapes including fiber, sheet, and solid parts. The company licenses or supplies this material to partners for use in foodware products (straws, cutlery) and fashion applications. The AirCarbon Alliance connects manufacturers and brands to deliver tailored Aircarbon Alloy solutions for specific product applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AirCarbon: A carbon-negative biomaterial made from greenhouse gases by naturally-occurring microorganisms. AirCarbon is PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate), FDA food contact approved, home compostable, and can be melted and formed into various products including fiber, sheet, and solid parts.
- AirCarbon Alliance
Products and services
- AirCarbon Carbon-negative PHB-based biomaterial produced by naturally occurring microorganisms that convert air and greenhouse gas (CO2e) into a meltable, moldable bioplastic. FDA food contact approved (FCN 1754), home compostable, dishwasher safe, and reusable; supplied to enterprise brands for foodware, packaging, and fashion applications.
- Aircarbon Alloy Tailored variant of AirCarbon designed for incorporation into products with other materials; delivered as part of the Aircarbon Alliance to enable specific performance, aesthetic, and sustainability targets for partner applications.
- Aircarbon Alliance Foodware (Restore Foodware) Foodware products (straws, cutlery, plates, bowls, containers) made from AirCarbon that are carbon-negative and home compostable; certified carbon negative by Carbon Trust and SCS Global; designed to address both plastic pollution and atmospheric carbon reduction.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88 kg of CO2 sequestered per kg of AirCarbon produced
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Newlight Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Newlight Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Newlight Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- AmazonflagshipSelected as inaugural member of the Amazon Devices Climate Tech Accelerator, a program supporting climate tech innovation.
- Aircarbon Alliance partnersflagshipEcosystem of organizations including polymer manufacturers, product testing organizations, supply chain optimization partners, and environmental leadership organizations delivering tailored Aircarbon Alloy solutions and scaled production capacity under a common mission to help fight climate change with high-performance products.
- Carbon TrustcoreIndependent third-party organization that calculates and verifies Newlight's carbon footprint and provides carbon negative certification.
- SCS Global ServicescoreIndependent third-party certification organization providing carbon negative certification for Newlight's products.
- ECG Global SolutionscoreIndependent third-party organization that calculates Newlight's carbon footprint.
- Restore FoodwarecoreNatural and regenerative foodware brand that launched in 2020 to help end the flow of plastic into the ocean by replacing it with AirCarbon. Products include straws, cutlery, plates, and bowls.
- Fashion For GoodcoreFashion For Good's Renewable Carbon Textiles Project featuring Newlight's carbon capture technology that transforms carbon from greenhouse gases into PHA biopolymers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Newlight Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- LanzaTech: Carbon capture company that converts industrial waste gases (CO, CO2) into fuels and chemicals via gas fermentation. Operates in the same climate-tech/carbon-to-value category as Newlight but focused on fuels and platform chemicals rather than PHA polymers.
- Yield10 Bioscience: US company developing PHA-producing crops and bioplastic technologies. Approaches the same PHA end market as Newlight but from a plant-trait/biotech angle rather than microbial fermentation.
Direct peers
- Danimer Scientific: Public bioplastics company producing PHA-based resins (Nodax) for applications in food service, packaging, and coatings. Direct competitor to Newlight in the bio-based, compostable bioplastics market with overlapping customer use cases.
- CJ CheilJedang: Korean conglomerate with a PHA bioplastic business (AmBio) targeting food packaging and compostable applications. Operates commercial-scale PHA production and competes directly with Newlight's AirCarbon.
- RWDC Industries: Singapore-based producer of PHA biopolymers for packaging, food service, and consumer goods. Directly comparable to Newlight on feedstock (microbial fermentation), end markets, and carbon-negative positioning.
- Kaneka: Japanese chemical company producing PHBH (a PHA copolymer) under the Kaneka Biodegradable Polymer brand. Targets food packaging, agricultural films, and compostable applications with similar performance positioning to AirCarbon.
- Mango Materials: US-based early-stage PHA producer using methane (a greenhouse gas) as feedstock to produce biodegradable bioplastics. Closely comparable to Newlight on feedstock-to-PHA approach and climate-positive narrative, though at smaller scale.
- TianAn Biopolymer: Chinese producer of PHBV/PHA bioplastics for packaging, agricultural, and consumer applications. Competes with Newlight globally as a low-cost Asian PHA supplier with established commercial volumes.
Broad incumbents
- NatureWorks: World's largest PLA bioplastic producer (Ingeo), owned by Cargill. Competes in the broader compostable/renewable plastics category but uses a different chemistry (lactic acid fermentation from sugar) rather than CO2-to-PHB.
- TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture between TotalEnergies and Corbion producing Luminy PLA bioplastics. Competes with Newlight in the broader bio-based plastics category but from a petrochemical-backed position with different chemistry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Newlight Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceNewlight Technologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Newlight Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Newlight Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Newlight Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Newlight Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Newlight Technologies
What does Newlight Technologies do?
Newlight Technologies manufactures and sells AirCarbon, a carbon-negative biomaterial produced by naturally occurring microorganisms that convert air and greenhouse gas (CO2e) into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHB) bioplastic. The material is meltable and formable into fiber, sheet, and solid parts for use in foodware, fashion, and packaging applications, and is sold to enterprise brand customers directly and through the Aircarbon Alliance partner program.
Is Newlight Technologies a public or private company?
Newlight Technologies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Newlight Technologies founded?
Newlight Technologies was founded in 2003. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Newlight Technologies based?
Newlight Technologies is headquartered in Huntington Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Newlight Technologies make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. AirCarbon biomaterial sales are the primary driver. The others are aircarbon Alliance partnerships.
Who are Newlight Technologies's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are LanzaTech and Yield10 Bioscience. Direct peers are Danimer Scientific, CJ CheilJedang, RWDC Industries, Kaneka, Mango Materials and TianAn Biopolymer. Broad incumbents are NatureWorks and TotalEnergies Corbion.
Does Newlight Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Newlight Technologies.
What industry is Newlight Technologies in?
Newlight Technologies's product category is Sustainable Biomaterials / Bioplastics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAIAD, CO₂‑to‑Polymers & Plastics (polycarbonates, polyols, polyurethane intermediates, specialty polymers), with a secondary code of EUAAAIAA, Bio-based Platform & Commodity Chemicals (e.g., bio-ethylene, bio-propylene, bio-BTX, bio-methanol). Its NAICS code is 32519 and its SIC code is 2860.