CH-Bioforce Oy
CH-Bioforce Oy is a Finnish biomaterials company that commercializes BIOFORSENSE®, a patented pressurized hot water extraction technology fractionating cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin from biomass in one process. It sells branded ingredients (XYLENSE®, LIGNENSE®, CELLENSE™, HAIRFORSENSE™, PURA Series™) and licenses its process to cosmetics, textile, packaging, and chemical manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersEspoo, Finland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CH-Bioforce Oy does
CH-Bioforce Oy is a Finnish private biomaterials company founded in 2016 as a spin-off of Oy Chemec Ab (the Chemec Group), headquartered in Espoo with R&D and a pilot/demonstration plant in Raisio. The company has developed BIOFORSENSE®, a patented pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) biomass fractionation technology that separates all three principal biomass components — dissolving cellulose, polymeric hemicellulose, and sulphur-free lignin — in a single process. The technology is described as feedstock-flexible (wood species such as birch, pine, spruce, plus non-wood residues including oat husk, straw, and bagasse) and is claimed to deliver over 90% material efficiency versus sub-50% for conventional pulping, CO2 emissions under 1% of competitor benchmarks, and 42% lower OPEX than Kraft pulping.
The company commercializes this platform through two routes: (1) direct sales of branded biomaterials — XYLENSE® (hemicellulose, COSMOS-certified), LIGNENSE® (sulphur-free lignin, COSMOS-certified), CELLENSE™ (dissolving cellulose, up to 98% α-cellulose), HAIRFORSENSE™ (bio-based hairstyling polymer, launched February 2026), and PURA Series™ (Nordic Beauty MCC) — to formulators in cosmetics, personal care, textiles, packaging, and chemicals; and (2) licensing of the BIOFORSENSE technology to industrial customers who wish to build their own biomass fractionation plants. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; commercial engagement is sales-led, with direct outreach by the CEO, CBO, and COO supported by demonstration at the Raisio facility and an event-driven presence at cosmetics and bio-based manufacturing trade shows.
Revenue is not disclosed; total funding to date comprises approximately €17 million in non-dilutive European grants (Horizon 2020 SME Instrument in 2019, EIC Accelerator in 2022), with the larger EIC tranche earmarked for a commercial-scale biomass processing plant in Raisio. Headcount is approximately 10, and the customer base includes named enterprises HETKINEN (cosmetics), Laponie Ltd (cosmetics formulation), and AB InBev (brewing waste valorization via the 100+Accelerator program). The company is actively expanding into haircare polymers (HAIRFORSENSE™) and natural-cosmetic-grade MCC (PURA Series™) on the back of COSMOS certification achieved in January 2026.
CH-Bioforce Oy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CH-Bioforce Oy
- Legal name
- CH-Bioforce Oy
- Website
- https://ch-bioforce.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CH-Bioforce Oy is a Finnish biomaterials company that commercializes BIOFORSENSE®, a patented pressurized hot water extraction technology fractionating cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin from biomass in one process. It sells branded ingredients (XYLENSE®, LIGNENSE®, CELLENSE™, HAIRFORSENSE™, PURA Series™) and licenses its process to cosmetics, textile, packaging, and chemical manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CH-Bioforce Oy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bio-based Biomaterials
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325), Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256)
- SIC
- Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biorefinery Co-product Recovery, Purification & Separation (Downstream Processing Systems) (EUAAAIAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biofuel Co-products & Byproduct Processing (DDGS, Glycerin, CO2, Lignin) (EUAAAHAJ), Bio-based Solvents & Process Chemicals (e.g., bio-acetone, bio-butanol, bio-IPA, green solvents) (EUAAAIAB)
Keywords
Where CH-Bioforce Oy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Espoo
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
CH-Bioforce Oy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Technology Licensing: CH-Bioforce licenses their BIOFORSENSE technology to customers who want to build their own biomass fractionation plants. The technology is flexible in size and profitable on smaller scales, enabling profitable investment with limited production capacity compared to traditional pulp mills requiring billions in investment.
- Biomaterials Sales: Direct sales of biomaterials (XYLENSE® hemicellulose, LIGNENSE® lignin, CELLENSE™ cellulose) to manufacturers in cosmetics, textiles, packaging, and other industries. Materials are sold globally for cosmetic applications and various industrial uses.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
CH-Bioforce Oy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CH-Bioforce develops and commercialises BIOFORSENSE®, a patented Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) technology that fractionates all three main biomass components — cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — into pure streams in a single continuous process with over 90% material efficiency. The company manufactures and sells branded bio-based ingredients (XYLENSE®, LIGNENSE®, CELLENSE™, HAIRFORSENSE™, PURA Series™) to formulators in cosmetics, personal care, textiles, packaging and chemicals, and separately licenses its BIOFORSENSE® process technology to industrial partners.
Product overview
CH-Bioforce Oy is a Finnish biomaterials company offering BIOFORSENSE®, a proprietary biomass fractionation technology that extracts all three main components of biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) in a single process. The company commercializes three primary branded biomaterials: XYLENSE® (polymeric hemicellulose for emulsification and film-forming), LIGNENSE® (sulphur-free lignin for binding and UV protection), and CELLENSE™ (high-purity dissolving cellulose for textiles and MCC). The portfolio was expanded in 2026 with HAIRFORSENSE™ (bio-based hairstyling polymer) and PURA Series™ (Nordic Beauty MCC). The technology enables conversion of industrial and agricultural side streams into high-purity, bio-based raw materials for cosmetics, textiles, packaging, and other manufacturing industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIOFORSENSE®: Proprietary biomass fractionation technology that gently extracts all main components of biomass (dissolving cellulose, polymeric hemicellulose and sulphur-free lignin) in one process.
- LIGNENSE®
- XYLENSE®
- CELLENSE™
- HAIRFORSENSE™
- PURA Series™
Products and services
- BIOFORSENSE®
Quantifiable outcome
- Material efficiency increased from less than 50% to over 90%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CH-Bioforce Oy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CH-Bioforce Oy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
CH-Bioforce Oy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nordic Bioproducts GroupcoreCollaboration to showcase Finnish circular, 100% biobased, fossil-free and biodegradable innovations for the cosmetics industry at in-cosmetics Global 2026. Joint exhibition booth showcasing multifunctional bio-based ingredients from Finnish nature and side streams.
- University of JyväskyläminorResearch collaboration on antimicrobial properties of CH-Bioforce lignins. Study tested lignins against viruses (enteroviruses, coronaviruses) and bacteria (S. aureus, E. coli). Published in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.
- SpinnovaminorResearch collaboration partner with University of Jyväskylä on antimicrobial research study. Spinnova is a Finnish company producing sustainable textile fibers.
- HETKINENminorCosmetics brand partnership where HETKINEN uses CH-Bioforce's BIOFORSENSE technology to convert wood waste from packaging production into hemicellulose-based XYLENSE® for ecological cosmetics products.
- WoodlyminorJoint investigation to develop and process non-wood based feedstocks of waste and residue origin for Woodly plastics production. CH-Bioforce's technology combined with Woodly's cellulose-based plastic material to improve carbon neutrality.
- Oy Chemec AbcoreParent company and co-founder of CH-Bioforce. Chemec Group operates in the chemical industry and is keen to replace fossil and food-based materials with bio-based raw materials. CH-Bioforce was established in 2016 together with Chemec.
- ElomaticminorTom Lind serves as board member of CH-Bioforce while also being CEO of Elomatic. Elomatic is a consulting and engineering company in the process industry with 25 years of experience.
- Åbo Akademi UniversityminorAcademic research partner. Collaborated on multiple studies including hemicellulose functionality in technical emulsions (BITE project) and lignin structural characterization. Located in Turku, Finland.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CH-Bioforce Oy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sweetwater Energy: US company developing biomass fractionation to produce cellulose, hemicellulose sugars, and lignin from non-food biomass. Directly comparable in multi-component biomass separation targeting specialty chemical applications.
- Renmatix: US-based developer of supercritical water biomass fractionation technology producing cellulosic sugars, lignin, and hemicellulose derivatives. Directly competes in the same pressurized-water biomass fractionation category as CH-Bioforce's BIOFORSENSE®.
- Bloom Biorenewables: Swiss startup commercializing biomass-derived aldehyde chemistry for lignin valorization and bio-based polymers. Competes in converting lignocellulosic biomass into specialty chemical inputs for cosmetics and materials.
Emerging players
- Vertoro: Dutch startup developing lignocellulosic biomass-to-chemical platform producing bio-crude and lignin for materials and fuels. Early-stage overlap with CH-Bioforce's biorefinery approach and target markets.
- Spinnova: Finnish sustainable textile fiber producer using mechanical pulp processing. CH-Bioforce is a named research collaborator; they share an end-market focus on cellulose-based textile substitutes for cotton.
- Nordic Bioproducts Group: Finnish startup producing bio-based cellulose-based functional ingredients for cosmetics and industrial applications. Active co-marketing partner with CH-Bioforce at in-cosmetics Global 2026 and direct overlap in bio-cosmetic ingredient space.
Broad incumbents
- Stora Enso: Global pulp and paper major expanding into biomaterials, lignin extraction, and bio-based packaging. Operates Sunila lignin extraction and broadens into dissolving pulp adjacent to CELLENSE™ applications.
- Borregaard: Norwegian specialty biochemicals company with the world's largest commercial lignin operation (BioLigno), plus vanillin, ethanol, and biopolymers. The established incumbent in bio-based specialty ingredients CH-Bioforce targets.
- Rayonier Advanced Materials: US producer of high-purity dissolving cellulose and specialty cellulose products used in textiles, food, and pharma. Closest large-scale incumbent to CELLENSE™'s dissolving cellulose positioning.
- UPM Biochemicals: Division of UPM-Kymmene producing bio-based monoethylene glycol, monopropylene glycol, and renewable functional fillers from wood-based biomass. A large-scale biorefinery incumbent competing for the same bio-based chemicals customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CH-Bioforce Oy social profiles
Digital presenceCH-Bioforce Oy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CH-Bioforce Oy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CH-Bioforce Oy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CH-Bioforce Oy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CH-Bioforce Oy 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 CH-Bioforce Oy
What does CH-Bioforce Oy do?
CH-Bioforce develops and commercialises BIOFORSENSE®, a patented Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) technology that fractionates all three main biomass components — cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — into pure streams in a single continuous process with over 90% material efficiency. The company manufactures and sells branded bio-based ingredients (XYLENSE®, LIGNENSE®, CELLENSE™, HAIRFORSENSE™, PURA Series™) to formulators in cosmetics, personal care, textiles, packaging and chemicals, and separately licenses its BIOFORSENSE® process technology to industrial partners.
Is CH-Bioforce Oy a public or private company?
CH-Bioforce Oy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CH-Bioforce Oy founded?
CH-Bioforce Oy was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CH-Bioforce Oy based?
CH-Bioforce Oy is headquartered in Espoo, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does CH-Bioforce Oy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Technology Licensing is the primary driver. The others are biomaterials Sales.
Who are CH-Bioforce Oy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sweetwater Energy, Renmatix and Bloom Biorenewables. Emerging players are Vertoro, Spinnova and Nordic Bioproducts Group. Broad incumbents are Stora Enso, Borregaard, Rayonier Advanced Materials and UPM Biochemicals.
Does CH-Bioforce Oy have an API?
No public API is recorded for CH-Bioforce Oy.
What industry is CH-Bioforce Oy in?
CH-Bioforce Oy's product category is Bio-based Biomaterials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAIAN, Biorefinery Co-product Recovery, Purification & Separation (Downstream Processing Systems), with a secondary code of EUAAAHAJ, Biofuel Co-products & Byproduct Processing (DDGS, Glycerin, CO2, Lignin). Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 2860.