BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells
BeFC is a French deep-tech company developing paper-based bio-enzymatic fuel cells as metal-free, recyclable alternatives to coin-cell batteries, serving enterprise customers in smart logistics, healthcare monitoring, smart packaging, and IoT via joint development agreements.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersGrenoble, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells does
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells, founded in May 2020 and headquartered in Villard-Bonnot (Grenoble), France, develops paper-based bio-enzymatic fuel cells that generate electricity through enzyme-catalyzed conversion of glucose and oxygen. The technology is inspired by implantable medical devices and is positioned as the only industrializable paper-based biofuel cell globally, functioning as a metal-free, recyclable, and compostable alternative to miniature coin-cell and button-cell batteries. BeFC's core product is a paper substrate using proprietary enzyme inks that can be activated by natural fluids including sweat, blood, urine, or environmental moisture, enabling disposable, maintenance-free power for low-energy electronics.
The company has built an integrated product portfolio on top of this core technology: the BeFC Biofuel Cell (core power source), the BeFC Tag (multi-variable smart logistics label tracking temperature, humidity, light, shock, and geolocation via RFID, BLE, and LPWAN), the BeFC Patch (single-use healthcare monitoring wearable capturing temperature, pH, glucose, sodium, and biomarkers), and a Digital Platform layer for data communication. Production has transitioned to an ink-based system leveraging high-throughput printing technologies, with a stated objective of scaling from 1,000 to 1,000,000 units per day by end of 2024. The IP portfolio comprises more than 30 patents, a 5-fold increase following the seed round.
BeFC operates a B2B enterprise go-to-market anchored by Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) with major industrial customers, with over 10 JDAs signed since 2020 with Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and Nasdaq-listed companies. Revenue mechanics combine per-unit hardware sales of biofuel cells and full-stack products, JDA-driven professional services for co-development, and reference design licensing through strategic partners. Distribution is split between direct enterprise sales, OEM/white-label embedding through partners such as DS Smith (smart packaging), PRONAT (medical patches), Avery Dennison (labels), and ONiO (battery-free IoT reference designs), and regional channel partners such as HIC for the UK healthcare market. The company has raised approximately €19 million in dilutive funding (€3M seed in 2020, €16M Series A in June 2023 led by Otium Capital) plus non-dilutive support from Bpifrance, Ademe, and the European Commission.
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells
- Legal name
- BeFC (simplified joint-stock company)
- Website
- https://befc.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BeFC is a French deep-tech company developing paper-based bio-enzymatic fuel cells as metal-free, recyclable alternatives to coin-cell batteries, serving enterprise customers in smart logistics, healthcare monitoring, smart packaging, and IoT via joint development agreements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Energy / Biofuel Cells
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fuel Cell Distributed Generation (Hydrogen/Natural Gas SOFC/PEM) (EUACALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fuel Cell CHP (SOFC/PEM—Natural Gas/Biogas/Hydrogen) (EUACAKAG)
Keywords
Where BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grenoble
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Biofuel Cell Hardware Sales: BeFC sells its paper-based biofuel cells as a power source replacement for miniature, low-power batteries (coin cell / button cell alternatives). Revenue is generated through the sale of biofuel cell units and full-stack products including TAG (smart logistics labels) and PATCH (healthcare monitoring patches). Pricing is quoted on a per-unit basis for production orders.
- Joint Development Agreements (JDAs): BeFC enters into JDAs with enterprise customers to co-develop bespoke products integrating BeFC technology. These agreements drive product validation and commercial adoption, functioning as a lead-generation and revenue mechanism ahead of mass production orders.
- Turnkey Reference Design Licensing: Through the ONiO strategic partnership, BeFC co-develops and delivers turnkey reference designs (e.g., glucose monitors, temperature patches, cold-chain trackers) enabling manufacturers to build thin, disposable, battery-free IoT products. Revenue may include licensing fees or per-unit royalties.
- Industrial Services: BeFC offers industrial services to support the integration and deployment of its technology, as referenced in November 2024 news.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Custom unit pricing through enterprise JDAs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BeFC designs, develops, and manufactures paper-based bio-enzymatic fuel cells that use enzymes to convert glucose and oxygen into electricity, marketed as metal-free, recyclable, and compostable alternatives to miniature coin-cell and button-cell batteries. The company sells its biofuel cells as a power source plus integrated sensing products: the BeFC Tag for smart logistics track-and-trace and the BeFC Patch for disposable healthcare wearable monitoring, with multi-protocol wireless communication (NFC, BLE, RFID, LPWAN).
Product overview
BeFC offers a portfolio of paper-based biofuel cells and eco-friendly microelectronics as alternatives to miniature batteries. The core offering consists of the BeFC Biofuel Cell (paper-based enzyme-driven energy source), the BeFC Tag (smart logistics tracking label), and the BeFC Patch (healthcare monitoring wearable). These products share the common biofuel cell technology platform and can be combined into integrated solutions for various industry verticals including smart logistics, healthcare, packaging, and agriculture tech.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BeFC Biofuel Cell Paper-based biofuel cell that generates electricity using enzymes, glucose, and oxygen. Metal-free, recyclable, compostable, and safe energy source for low-power electronics, designed as an alternative to miniature coin-cell and button-cell batteries.
- BeFC Tag Multi-variable smart logistics label combining the BeFC biofuel cell with active electronic sensing. Tracks temperature, humidity, light, shock, and geolocation, and communicates via RFID, BLE, and LPWAN protocols for supply chain monitoring from warehouse to last mile.
- BeFC Patch Real-time wearable healthcare monitoring smart patch powered by BeFC biofuel cells. Monitors vital signs and biomarkers including temperature, humidity, pH, glucose, and sodium for patient monitoring from neonatal to ICU applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Scale production capacity from 1,000 to 1,000,000 units per day by end of 2024
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- ONiOcoreBeFC and ONiO launched a strategic partnership in November 2025 to co-develop turnkey reference designs for battery-free IoT devices. ONiO's ONiO.zero ultra-low-power microcontroller (cold-starting from <1µW) complements BeFC's metal-free paper biofuel cell, enabling fully sustainable smart devices for healthcare, logistics, smart packaging, environmental sensing, and defense applications. Joint reference designs include glucose monitors, temperature patches, and cold-chain trackers.
- DS SmithflagshipDS Smith, a global leader in sustainable packaging, partnered with BeFC to develop world-first smart trackers made of recyclable paper powered by biofuel cells. The partnership enables DS Smith to accelerate smart packaging solutions combining BeFC's paper-based biofuel cell technology with DS Smith's packaging expertise.
- Avery DennisonflagshipBeFC and Avery Dennison won the Sustainability Awards 2024 in the Renewable Materials (Pre-Commercialized) category for their organic battery technology. The partnership leverages Avery Dennison's labeling and materials expertise with BeFC's paper biofuel cell technology for sustainable smart labels.
- HIC (Healthcare Innovation Centre)supportingHIC (Healthcare Innovation Centre) supports BeFC's international growth into the UK market. HIC provides market access support, networking, and strategic guidance for healthcare technology companies entering the UK healthcare ecosystem.
- PRONATcoreBeFC and PRONAT partnered to provide eco-friendly medical digital patches. PRONAT contributes medical device expertise while BeFC provides its paper-based biofuel cell technology for sustainable, single-use healthcare monitoring patches.
- SATT LinksiumsupportingSATT Linksium, the Grenoble-based technology transfer company, served as BeFC's incubator supporting the transition of academic research into commercial technology. François Hede (CEO) and Jean-Philippe Gendre (Business & Equity Director) represented Linksium.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Enfucell: Finnish manufacturer of printed thin-film batteries for IoT, wearables, and logistics. Enfucell is the closest direct comparable to BeFC, using similar printed/substrate-based power source technology targeting the same end markets.
- Imprint Energy: US-based developer of printed zinc-based batteries for IoT sensors and connected devices. Directly comparable to BeFC in offering printed, flexible, thin-form-factor power sources targeting low-power electronics applications.
- Blue Spark Technologies: US manufacturer of printed carbon-zinc batteries, including the TempTraq wearable temperature monitoring patch. Direct competitor in printed battery technology and adjacent in the disposable medical wearable segment where BeFC PATCH competes.
Emerging players
- SFC Energy: German fuel cell company specializing in direct methanol fuel cells for portable and off-grid power applications. Comparable to BeFC as a fuel cell technology company addressing distributed, low-to-medium power applications, though at higher power levels.
- Powercast: US-based RF energy harvesting company enabling battery-free wireless sensors for IoT, retail, and industrial applications. Direct competing approach to BeFC's biofuel cells for powering battery-free IoT devices.
- EnOcean: German pioneer in self-powered wireless IoT using energy harvesting (motion, light, thermal). Comparable as a battery-free IoT power source company serving building automation and industrial monitoring markets that overlap with BeFC's IoT segment.
Broad incumbents
- VARTA: German global leader in button cell and coin cell batteries, plus lithium-ion solutions. BeFC's primary direct displacement target in the small-battery market; VARTA's installed scale and retail channels represent both the incumbent threat and the addressable opportunity.
- Duracell: Global consumer battery giant dominating the primary battery market that BeFC is targeting for displacement. Comparable as the established small-format battery incumbent whose environmental footprint (97% landfill rate) creates BeFC's value proposition.
- Panasonic Energy: Major Japanese battery manufacturer with leading positions in coin cells, primary lithium batteries, and industrial power solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose product portfolio BeFC's technology is positioned to disrupt in the small-format power segment.
- Energizer Holdings: Global battery and portable lighting company with strong positions in primary batteries including specialty coin and button cells. Comparable incumbent competing for the same small-format battery end-use cases BeFC targets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells social profiles
Digital presenceBeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells 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 BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells
What does BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells do?
BeFC designs, develops, and manufactures paper-based bio-enzymatic fuel cells that use enzymes to convert glucose and oxygen into electricity, marketed as metal-free, recyclable, and compostable alternatives to miniature coin-cell and button-cell batteries. The company sells its biofuel cells as a power source plus integrated sensing products: the BeFC Tag for smart logistics track-and-trace and the BeFC Patch for disposable healthcare wearable monitoring, with multi-protocol wireless communication (NFC, BLE, RFID, LPWAN).
Is BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells a public or private company?
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells founded?
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells based?
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells is headquartered in Grenoble, France, in the Europe region.
How does BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Biofuel Cell Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are joint Development Agreements (JDAs), turnkey Reference Design Licensing and industrial Services.
Who are BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Enfucell, Imprint Energy and Blue Spark Technologies. Emerging players are SFC Energy, Powercast and EnOcean. Broad incumbents are VARTA, Duracell, Panasonic Energy and Energizer Holdings.
Does BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells have an API?
No public API is recorded for BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells.
What industry is BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells in?
BeFC Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells's product category is Sustainable Energy / Biofuel Cells. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACALAK, Fuel Cell Distributed Generation (Hydrogen/Natural Gas SOFC/PEM), with a secondary code of EUACAKAG, Fuel Cell CHP (SOFC/PEM—Natural Gas/Biogas/Hydrogen). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3600.