What Metafuels does

Metafuels AG is a Swiss climate technology company developing aerobrew, a proprietary methanol-to-jet process that converts green methanol — produced from renewable electricity, green hydrogen, and captured CO2 — into synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF). The technology centres on a novel catalytic system, developed in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institut, that performs Olefins Oligomerisation with high selectivity, concentrating carbon into SAF rather than co-products. The company operates a pilot plant and a demonstration plant (operational from mid-2025) at the PSI campus in Villigen, Switzerland, and is developing a portfolio of commercial-scale projects including Turbe (Rotterdam, in FEED with McDermott), Pizol (Denmark, with European Energy), and Scaletta (Spain). Aerobrew plants can process bio-methanol or e-methanol interchangeably, enabling flexible production of bio-SAF, e-SAF, or both depending on market signals.

The business model combines technology licensing to fuel producers with direct project development and equity ownership in production facilities, supplemented by long-term SAF supply agreements with airlines. Revenue is not yet generated — the company is pre-commercial — and go-to-market relies on enterprise sales to fuel producers and airlines, infrastructure partnerships with terminal operators, and project financing routed through dedicated subsidiaries. Pricing for e-SAF is undisclosed, with cost parity against fossil jet fuel positioned as a long-term objective to be achieved through scaling and catalyst optimization.

Metafuels has secured strategic relationships across the value chain: a foundational R&D partnership with PSI, infrastructure access via Evos Rotterdam, engineering services via McDermott, offtake discussions with SWISS and Lufthansa Group, and feedstock coordination with European Energy in Denmark. The company is led by co-founders Saurabh Kapoor (CEO), Leigh Hackett (Chairman & CCO), and Ulrich Koss (Chief Technologist), supported by senior engineers recruited from ExxonMobil, TechnipFMC, Axens, INEOS, and Worley. Total disclosed funding exceeds $41 million across a $8M seed (December 2023), a $9M round (January 2025), a $24M Series A (February 2026), a CHF 4.4M Swiss Federal Office of Energy grant, and a €1.92M Netherlands Enterprise Agency grant, with recognition including the 2026 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer designation.

Name

Metafuels

Legal name

Metafuels AG

Website

https://metafuels.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Metafuels AG is a Swiss climate technology company developing aerobrew, a proprietary methanol-to-jet process that converts green methanol into synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) for airlines, fuel producers, and infrastructure operators across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology

NAICS

Petroleum Refineries (32411), Petrochemical Manufacturing (32511)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Biofuel Upgrading, Hydrotreating & Refining (Co-processing, Isomerization) (EUAAAHAG), Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable aviation fuel
• Methanol-to-jet technology
• E-SAF production
• Green methanol conversion
• Synthetic aviation fuel

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing: Metafuels licenses its aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology to fuel producers for deployment in commercial SAF production facilities. The company provides engineering support and technical expertise for plant design and operation.
2. Project Development & Equity: The company develops and invests in SAF production projects (Pioneer Projects) including ownership stakes in commercial facilities. Revenue comes from fuel production and equity value in operational plants.
3. SAF Supply Partnerships: Long-term supply agreements with airlines for synthetic SAF procurement, securing revenue commitments ahead of commercial production and regulatory mandates.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Metafuels develops and commercializes its proprietary aerobrew methanol-to-jet technology, which converts green methanol (derived from renewable electricity, green hydrogen, and captured CO2) into sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF). The company licenses its technology to fuel producers, develops and co-invests in commercial SAF production projects (Pioneer Projects), and secures long-term offtake agreements with airlines ahead of regulatory mandates.

Product overview

Metafuels offers a unified technology platform centered on its proprietary aerobrew methanol-to-jet process, which converts green methanol into sustainable aviation fuel. The core product is the aerobrew technology, which is deployed through multiple project vehicles: the Turbe commercial facility in Rotterdam, the Pizol project in Denmark, and the Scaletta project in Spain. The company also operates a pilot plant and demonstration plant at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland for technology validation and optimization. All aerobrew plants can process bio-methanol or e-methanol interchangeably, enabling flexible production of bio-SAF, e-SAF, or both simultaneously.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• aerobrew Proprietary methanol-to-jet technology for converting green methanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Uses an innovative catalytic system for high selectivity and yield, enabling cost-competitive e-SAF production with up to 95% lower lifecycle carbon emissions compared to fossil kerosene. Licensed to fuel producers and deployed in Metafuels' own Pioneer Projects.
• Turbe Commercial-scale e-SAF production facility project at Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, integrated into Evos terminal infrastructure. Initial phase targets 12,000 liters/day with phase two scaling to 120,000 liters/day. Developed by Metafuels Nederland B.V.
• Pizol Pioneer e-SAF production project in southern Denmark near Padborg, developed alongside European Energy's e-methanol facility. Planned production of 10 tons per day of SAF.
• Scaletta Largest project in Metafuels' portfolio, under development in Spain. Planned production capacity of 100 tons per day of SAF, targeting completion circa 2032.
• Pilot Plant Initial pilot facility at Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) in Villigen, Switzerland, demonstrating the aerobrew technology's olefins oligomerization process. Successfully produced first SAF product meeting ultra-high selectivity KPIs.
• Demonstration Plant

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% lifecycle carbon reduction compared to fossil kerosene
• +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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• SWISS (Swiss International Air Lines)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Strategic collaboration for development and scaling of SAF solutions. SWISS and Lufthansa Group considering long-term SAF procurement contracts ahead of synthetic fuel quotas in Switzerland and EU from 2030. Metafuels' first aviation sector partner, providing early access to synthetic fuel supply and market credibility. Partnership supports Switzerland's role as innovation hub for sustainable aviation.
• McDermottcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 December 2025Front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract awarded to McDermott for Turbe e-SAF facility at Evos terminal in Port of Rotterdam. McDermott performing basic engineering, design services, technical specification optimization, and cost estimating. FEED represents final engineering stage prior to final investment decision (FID).
• Evos RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2025Partnership for e-SAF production at Evos Rotterdam terminal, a leading liquid energy and chemicals storage company. Evos provides methanol hub infrastructure, multimodal logistics (vessel, barge, truck, rail), and operational expertise. The Turbe project is integrated into Evos' existing Rotterdam terminal, leveraging established infrastructure to accelerate commercial deployment.
• Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2024Collaboration with PSI, Switzerland's largest research institute, for development of aerobrew methanol-to-SAF technology. PSI provides world-class expertise in materials synthesis, catalysis, characterization, engineering, analytics, and life-cycle assessments. A pilot facility was built at PSI's campus in Villigen AG with CHF 4.4M grant funding. The ESI Platform enables testing, optimization, and validation in near-commercial settings. This is a foundational technology development partnership.
• European EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2023MoU signed for development of methanol-to-jet SAF facility in Denmark using European Energy's e-methanol feedstock from Power-to-X facilities. Facility planned near Padborg in southern Denmark, adjacent to European Energy's PtX facility. Production capacity of approximately 12,000 liters per day (10 tons/day). Project named Pizol.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HIF Global: HIF Global is a direct e-fuels competitor producing synthetic gasoline, diesel, and SAF from green hydrogen and captured CO2 using Fischer-Tropsch. Closest comparable in business model: project development, technology, and offtake partnerships with airlines and refiners for synthetic fuels.
• Infinium: Infinium (formerly Greyrock Energy) develops e-fuels via reverse-water-gas-shift and FT, with announced e-SAF projects including a Project Pathfinder with HIF and others. Competes head-to-head with Metafuels for synthetic SAF mandate share, particularly in Europe and the US.
• LanzaTech: LanzaTech produces synthetic ethanol from captured industrial gases and partners with Indian Oil, LanzaJet, and others for alcohol-to-jet SAF. Most direct non-FT competitor in the alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) space where Metafuels' aerobrew also sits, with a more advanced commercial pipeline but different feedstock.
• SkyNRG: SkyNRG is a SAF-focused company developing, sourcing, and supplying SAF to airlines, with technology and project development arms. Highly comparable in business model — combines SAF offtake intermediation with proprietary technology and project development for new production capacity.
• Sunfire: Sunfire is a German electrolysis and e-fuels company producing synthetic fuels (including SAF) from green hydrogen and CO2 via co-electrolysis and FT. Competes in the same e-SAF value chain and shares the EU/DeepTech climate-tech investor ecosystem.
• Prometheus Fuels: Prometheus produces e-fuels including SAF from CO2 and renewable electricity using proprietary direct-air-to-liquid chemistry. Direct competitor in the e-SAF space targeting drop-in jet fuel with a different (non-FT, non-MtJ) technology route.
• Velocys: Velocys provides Fischer-Tropsch microchannel reactor technology for converting biomass and synthesis gas to SAF. Comparable as a SAF technology licensor and project developer, although focused on FT rather than methanol-to-jet.

Emerging players

• Norsk e-Fuel: Norsk e-Fuel is developing one of Europe's first commercial e-SAF plants in Norway using FT technology on green hydrogen. Comparable early-stage European e-SAF project developer with a similar pathway-adjacent technology and aviation customer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Neste: Neste is the world's largest current SAF producer using HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) technology at scale. Competes with Metafuels for the same airline SAF procurement budgets, but via an established, biomass-based pathway rather than synthetic e-SAF.

Others

• Topsoe: Topsoe is a leading catalyst and process technology provider whose e-SAF (MtJ/ATJ) technology competes with Metafuels' aerobrew for licensing customers and feedstock alliances. Relevant as the dominant incumbent in methanol-to-jet process technology, particularly with major oil-and-gas partners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors9 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 Metafuels