ALTR

What ALTR does

ALTR (legal entity ALTR FLTR INC) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based beverage technology company founded by CEO Richard Schatzberger that has developed a proprietary membrane-based platform for precision alcohol reduction in wines and spirits. The company's flagship technology, Velvet Blade™, is a patent-pending double-edge membrane process that performs molecular-level ethanol separation while preserving volatile aromatics, structural compounds, and the sensory intent of the original beverage. Operating under a "Flavor-First™" brand positioning, the process is non-thermal, uses no water, and consumes ultra-low energy, positioning it as a lower-impact alternative to incumbent dealcoholization methods (vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis) that typically strip flavor. The technical team is led by Head of R&D Bo Pan with scientists and engineers based across the Phoenix headquarters (275 N. Gateway Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034) and a Napa, California wine-country operations presence, working out of what the company calls its "desert laboratory." Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed but flow through B2B technology licensing, co-development partnerships, and partnership fees tied to the production of low- and no-alcohol SKUs at partner wineries and beverage producers.

ALTR operates as a B2B technology provider through structured programs branded as "Co-Create with ALTR" and "Join the ALTR Beta," working directly with enterprise wine and spirits producers to apply Velvet Blade™ to their portfolios. Named commercial partners include Clos du Val and AIX Rosé, both premium wine producers; strategic investor Branca International (Fernet-Branca, Carpano) signals intent to extend the platform into spirits dealcoholization. The primary customer segment is wineries and wine producers seeking low- and no-ABV SKUs without compromising flavor; secondary segments include spirits producers, large-scale incumbents, and new entrants in the functional and low-alcohol beverage categories. Sales-led motion is executed via direct enterprise engagement rather than self-serve channels, and the company does not sell directly to consumers.

The company is privately held with no public listing or parent entity. Capital base includes a 2023 Pente Capital investment, a $5 million seed round closed in July 2025 led by French investment fund Demeter with participation from AZ Venture Capital, Bluestein Ventures, FTW Ventures, Jeriko, Solvable Syndicate, Suntory Global Spirits, and Xinomavro Ventures, and a strategic investment from Branca International in March 2026. Current operations span the United States (Phoenix and Napa) with early-stage trials underway in Europe. ALTR employs between 1 and 10 people and characterizes itself as "growing fast" with active hiring across R&D, finance/operations, and strategy/marketing functions.

Name

ALTR

Legal name

ALTR FLTR INC

Website

https://altrfltr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ALTR is a Phoenix-based beverage technology company that licenses its patent-pending Velvet Blade membrane platform to wineries and spirits producers for molecular-level ethanol reduction while preserving flavor compounds and sensory quality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dealcoholization Technology

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcohol-Free & Low-Alcohol Beer/Wine/Spirits Production (AFAFAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alcoholic Beverage Blending, Bottling & Private Label (Non-Distilling) (AFAFAAAH)

Keywords

• Dealcoholization technology
• Membrane separation systems
• Low-ABV wine production
• Ethanol removal process
• Beverage nanotechnology

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing to Wineries: ALTR provides its Velvet Blade alcohol removal technology as a service/partnership to wineries and beverage producers. The company works with partners to create low- and no-alcohol versions of their beverages while maintaining sensory quality, generating revenue through technology licensing and partnership fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ALTR provides its proprietary Velvet Blade™ precision alcohol separation system, a patent-pending membrane-based dealcoholization technology that precisely removes ethanol molecules from wines and spirits at the molecular level while preserving essential sensory compounds, aromatics, and winemaker intent. The company partners with wineries and beverage producers through collaborative programs to create low-ABV and no-alcohol versions of their existing products without compromising flavor or quality.

Product overview

ALTR is a beverage technology company offering a single unified product platform centered on its proprietary Velvet Blade™ precision alcohol separation technology. The Flavor-First™ system uses patent-pending membrane technology to enable precise, controlled ethanol removal from wines and spirits while preserving flavor compounds and sensory identity. ALTR provides its technology to winery and spirits partners through a collaborative partnership program, allowing producers to create reduced-alcohol versions of their existing products without compromising quality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Velvet Blade™ Precision Alcohol Separation System

Quantifiable outcome

• Precisely controls ethanol molecules to achieve exact ABV desired by winemakers
• +1 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clos du ValcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClos du Val is a partner winery using ALTR's Velvet Blade technology. CEO Olav Goelet provided a testimonial praising ALTR's dedication to maintaining the essence of wine while paving the way for innovation, calling the collaboration 'deeply collaborative' with 'a shared vision for what wine can become.'
• AIX RoséminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner winery using ALTR's Velvet Blade technology for low-ABV premium wine production.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pernod Ricard: Pernod Ricard is one of the world's largest spirits groups and is actively investing in low/no-alcohol product lines. Comparable as a customer/investor archetype and a strategic counterparty in the low-alcohol category ALTR serves.
• Bucher Vaslin: Bucher Vaslin is an established global supplier of wine-making equipment, including filtration and processing technologies. As a broad incumbent in winery processing equipment, it represents both a competitor and a potential acquirer/integrator of ALTR's technology.
• Della Toffola Group: Della Toffola is a long-established Italian manufacturer of beverage processing equipment, including dealcoholization systems for wine and beer. It is a broad incumbent that could replicate or acquire competing membrane-based dealcoholization technology.
• Diageo: Diageo is a global spirits giant with multiple low/no-alcohol initiatives and innovation programs targeting the moderation trend. Comparable as a strategic counterparty that could become a customer, investor, or acquirer of dealcoholization technology.

Direct peers

• Vivelys: Vivelys is a French winemaking technology company offering equipment and processes for must/wine adjustment, including alcohol reduction tools. Comparable to ALTR in targeting premium winemakers with novel processing technologies.
• Athletic Brewing Company: Athletic Brewing is the largest non-alcoholic craft brewer in the US, addressing the same moderation/health-conscious consumer trend. While in beer rather than wine, it is a comparable B2C-facing competitor in the broader no/low-alcohol category ALTR serves.
• Lyre's Spirit Co. Lyre's is a leading non-alcoholic spirits brand offering dealcoholized and alcohol-free alternatives across multiple spirits categories. Comparable as a downstream customer archetype and a competing approach to the low/no-alcohol trend.
• BevZero (formerly Vinovation): BevZero is a direct competitor offering dealcoholization services and equipment (including spinning cone column and reverse osmosis technologies) to wine and beer producers. It competes head-to-head with ALTR in the wine dealcoholization services market.
• Praedictix: Praedictix (formerly known in the dealcoholization space via ConeTech) operates spinning cone column technology for alcohol removal and aroma recovery. It is a direct peer in the wine/spirits dealcoholization services category.

Emerging players

• Memstar (Membrane Technology): Memstar develops membrane technologies used in beverage processing including ethanol reduction via reverse osmosis. It competes with ALTR at the membrane-technology layer and serves major wine producers globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/altrfltr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors11 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 ALTR