Carbios

What Carbios does

Carbios is a French biotech company founded in 2011 (listed on Euronext Growth Paris as ALCRB since December 2013) that develops proprietary enzymatic depolymerization technology to recycle PET plastics and textiles. The platform uses engineered enzymes to break down complex PET waste — including colored, contaminated, and mixed materials that mechanical recycling cannot process — into virgin-quality monomers (r-PTA and r-MEG) with purity above 99.5% inside 24 hours, and is validated at Technology Readiness Level 8 via an industrial demonstration plant in Clermont-Ferrand operational since 2021. A second product line, CARBIOS Active, deploys enzymes enabling PLA plastics to fully biodegrade under home-composting conditions; it holds FDA Food Contact Substances listing and BPI certification. The technology is backed by peer-reviewed research including publications in Nature.

The business model blends direct materials sales with a capital-light global licensing strategy. Revenue is generated from (i) licensing royalties and technology transfer fees, with the Wankai JV in China being the first commercial license; (ii) sales of recycled PET monomers (r-PTA, r-MEG), resin, and fiber produced from the demonstration plant and forthcoming commercial facilities; and (iii) enzymatic solutions for PLA biodegradation. Pre-sales agreements with major beverage industry players already cover approximately 50% of the Longlaville plant's 50,000 tonnes/yr nameplate capacity. Long-term, Carbios targets 1 million tonnes/yr of Asian capacity through multiple licensing agreements, while pursuing letters of intent in Turkey (SASA) and the UK (FCC Environment). The go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field engagement with major brands supplemented by consortium demonstrations and industry conference presence.

Carbios serves enterprise customers across beverage packaging, cosmetics and personal care, apparel and footwear (fiber-to-fiber textile recycling), automotive and tires, and compostable packaging, with marquee relationships including L'OCCITANE, Biotherm, PUMA, Patagonia, On, Salomon, PVH Corp., Michelin, PepsiCo, and Nestlé Waters. Geographic footprint centers on France and broader Europe with European Commission-backed expansion, US market entry via FDA approval, and Greater China deployment through the Wankai/Kaibio JV (Haining plant targeted H1 2028). Backed by Indorama Ventures (€110M equity/loan facility for Longlaville) and €42.5M of EU/France 2030 state aid, the company employs ~140 staff post-restructuring, is B Corp certified (2026), and is led by CEO Benoît Grenot following the June 2026 succession from Vincent Kamel.

Name

Carbios

Legal name

CARBIOS

Website

https://carbios.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Carbios is a French public biotech company that uses proprietary engineered enzymes to depolymerize complex PET plastics and textiles into virgin-quality monomers, licensing the technology globally and serving beverage, cosmetics, apparel, and tire brand customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Enzymatic PET Biorecycling

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodegradable Polymers & Resins (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMAEAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMANANAA), Bio-based Polymers & Bioplastics (e.g., PLA, PHA, bio-PE/PP/PET, PBS) (EUAAAIAC), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)

Keywords

• Enzymatic PET recycling
• Plastic biorecycling technology
• Textile fiber recycling
• PLA biodegradation solutions
• Recycled PET materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Clermont-ferrand

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing Revenue: Carbios licenses its enzymatic PET recycling technology to partners globally,收取许可费用和技术使用费。The China JV with Wankai represents the first commercial license, with long-term target of 1 million tonnes capacity across Asia through multiple licensing agreements
2. Recycled PET Materials Sales: Sale of recycled PET monomers (r-PTA, r-MEG) and finished materials (resin, fiber) produced from demonstration plant and future commercial facilities. Pre-sales agreements cover ~50% of Longlaville capacity
3. Enzyme Solutions (CARBIOS Active): Sale of enzymatic solutions for PLA biodegradation to manufacturers of compostable packaging and products

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carbios develops and commercializes proprietary enzymatic biorecycling technology that depolymerizes complex PET plastic and textile waste into virgin-quality monomers (r-PTA and r-MEG), which are then used to produce Resin for packaging and Fiber for textiles. The company also offers CARBIOS Active, an enzymatic solution for full home-compost biodegradation of PLA plastics, and monetizes its technology through direct material sales, multi-year supply agreements, and global technology licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARBIOS Active: Enzymatic solution for PLA biodegradation, enabling PLA plastics to fully biodegrade in home composting or methanization conditions within 6 months. Certified by FDA (food contact) and BPI. Targeted at packaging manufacturers for food-contact PLA applications.

Products and services

• PET Biorecycling Technology Proprietary enzymatic process that depolymerizes complex PET waste — including colored, contaminated, mixed, and textile-fiber materials that mechanical recycling cannot handle — into virgin-quality r-PTA and r-MEG monomers with over 99.5% purity within 24 hours. Licensed and operated by Carbios for brand owners and industrial partners globally.
• CARBIOS Active (PLA Biodegradation Technology)

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to virgin PET production
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wankai New Materials (Zhink Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025Joint venture Kaibio Biotechnology Co. Ltd established to build and operate China's first PET biorecycling plant in Haining, Zhejiang. Wankai holds majority stake, financing most of €115 million investment. Carbios retains full patent ownership under licensing agreement. Plant capacity: 50,000 tonnes/year, operations targeted H1 2028.
• Indorama VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024Joint venture for Longlaville plant construction in France. Indorama providing approximately €110 million in equity and non-convertible loan financing. Project-operating company: Carbios 54. Plant capacity: 50,000 tonnes/year, total investment €230 million.
• Landbell GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupply agreement for Longlaville plant: 15,000 tonnes/year of post-consumer PET waste from Germany starting 2026.
• HündgenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupply agreement for preparation and recycling of 15,000 tonnes/year of post-consumer PET waste from Germany starting end of 2026.
• TOMRA TextilesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for collection, sorting, and preparation of textile waste in Northern Europe to supply Longlaville plant.
• Nouvelles Fibres TextilesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop French industrial textile recycling sector for polyester textiles, supplying Longlaville plant.
• SelenisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for production of PETG from Carbios biorecycling technology for cosmetics and healthcare markets in Europe and US.
• SLEEVERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partnership for home compost biodegradable shrink sleeves using CARBIOS Active enzyme solution. Launched SEELCAP ONEGO first home compost biodegradable tamper-evident seal.
• De Smet Engineers & ContractorsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction management and detailed engineering for Longlaville plant, including procurement assistance and partner management.
• Zhink GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLetter of intent for technology license enabling construction and operation of PET biorecycling plant in China with minimum 50,000 tonnes/year capacity. Partnership evolved into definitive Wankai agreement.
• SASAminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLetter of intent for technology license for 100,000 tonnes/year plant in Adana, Turkey, targeting European market.
• FCC Environment UKminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLetter of intent for licensed PET biorecycling plant in UK, confirming interest from waste management sector.
• OncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner demonstrating biorecycled polyester integration in high-performance running shoes without compromising quality or design.
• PatagoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for fiber-to-fiber textile biorecycling technology demonstrations.
• PUMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner; produced world's first 100% biorecycled T-shirt; integrating biorecycled polyester in footwear.
• PVH Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for fiber-to-fiber textile biorecycling demonstrations.
• SalomoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for fiber-to-fiber textile biorecycling; joint award recipient with FENC for ITMF International Cooperation Award.
• L'OCCITANE en ProvencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched first commercial bottle in 100% enzymatically recycled PET for shower gel range, developed with Pinard Beauty Pack transformer.
• Nestlé WatersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand partner collaborating on sustainable packaging with Carbios enzymatic recycling technology.
• PepsiCominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand partner collaborating on sustainable packaging solutions using Carbios biorecycling technology.
• Far Eastern New Century (FENC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning joint development of polyester biorecycled products with Carbios and Salomon, recipient of ITMF International Cooperation Award.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Novamont: Italian bioplastics producer (Mater-Bi starch-based bioplastics) acquired by Versalis (Eni). Competes with Carbios in the bio-based and compostable plastics space, particularly for food packaging, bags, and agricultural film applications across Europe.
• NatureWorks: NatureWorks manufactures PLA (Ingeo biopolymer) at scale, the same polymer that Carbios's CARBIOS Active enzyme is designed to biodegrade. As the dominant PLA supplier, NatureWorks is both a potential commercial partner for Carbios Active and a competitor in the broader bioplastics value chain.
• Loop Industries: Loop Industries uses a proprietary depolymerization process to break down PET and polyester waste into virgin-quality monomers (MEG and PTA) and reform into PET resin. Direct competitor in enzymatic/catalytic PET depolymerization targeting the same beverage and apparel customers as Carbios.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture between TotalEnergies and Corbion producing Luminy PLA bioplastics from sugarcane. A direct peer in the bio-based and biodegradable polymer space, with established industrial-scale PLA production that competes with Carbios's PET biorecycling franchise for the same sustainability-driven brand customers.
• Indorama Ventures: World's largest PET producer and a JV partner with Carbios for the Longlaville plant. Operates extensive mechanical and chemical recycling infrastructure for PET; competes and partners with Carbios in advanced PET recycling for beverage and packaging markets.
• Ioniqa Technologies: Ioniqa developed a proprietary process for depolymerizing PET waste into high-purity monomers using a catalyst-based approach. Acquired by Unilever, the technology competes head-to-head with Carbios in converting colored and contaminated PET into virgin-grade building blocks for food-contact and textile applications.

Emerging players

• Danimer Scientific: Danimer Scientific produces Nodax PHA, a bio-based and biodegradable polymer used in compostable packaging and single-use applications. Competes with Carbios's CARBIOS Active enzyme solution in the compostable plastics end market, particularly for food service and packaging applications.
• Samsara Eco: Australian enzymatic recycling startup using engineered enzymes to break down PET and polyester into monomers. Direct technology overlap with Carbios's enzymatic depolymerization, but earlier stage with a smaller commercial footprint and limited brand consortium.
• Protein Evolution Inc. US-based startup using AI-engineered enzymes to recycle PET and polyester waste. Closest technology peer to Carbios's enzymatic depolymerization approach but at earlier commercialization stage; represents a potential future direct competitor in licensing-based enzymatic recycling.

Broad incumbents

• Eastman Chemical Company: Eastman operates polyester renewal technology (PRT), a methanolysis-based chemical recycling process that depolymerizes PET into monomers (DMT) for repolymerization. Significantly larger chemicals incumbent with multiple product lines including specialty plastics, fibers, and additives, positioning it as a broad chemical-recycling peer to Carbios's enzymatic process.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@carbios7070
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carbios
• Instagraminstagram.com/insidecarbios
• Xx.com/Carbios
• Facebookfacebook.com/Carbios-115726329797791

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 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 Carbios