Newlight Technologies

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.

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

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

• Carbon-negative biomaterials
• Bioplastic production
• Greenhouse gas conversion
• Sustainable packaging materials
• PHA biopolymers

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntington Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• AmazonflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 July 2025Selected as inaugural member of the Amazon Devices Climate Tech Accelerator, a program supporting climate tech innovation.
• Aircarbon Alliance partnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem 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 TrustcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent third-party organization that calculates and verifies Newlight's carbon footprint and provides carbon negative certification.
• SCS Global ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent third-party certification organization providing carbon negative certification for Newlight's products.
• ECG Global SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent third-party organization that calculates Newlight's carbon footprint.
• Restore FoodwarecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNatural 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 GoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion 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

Emerging 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newlight-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/newlight_technologies
• Xx.com/Newlight
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewlightTechnologiesInc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors7 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 Newlight Technologies