CO2 Bioclean

What CO2 Bioclean does

CO2 Bioclean GmbH is an Eschborn, Germany-based biotechnology company founded in 2019 by Dr. Fabiana Fantinel and Alessandro Carfagnini, operating with 1–10 employees and developing a patented fermentation process that captures industrial CO2 emissions at source and converts them into biodegradable Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers via naturally occurring, non-pathogenic, gram-negative microorganisms. Its technology is delivered through on-site fermentation units installed alongside industrial facilities (cement, steel, paper, glass, plastic, biogas production), capturing emissions at the end of a pipe without requiring changes to the host industrial processes; the resulting PHA serves as raw material for downstream applications including the company's branded CO2 TEXTILE (textile fibers), CO2 COATING (paper coating with waterproof/barrier properties), and CO2 DESIGN (sustainable materials for furniture/automotive) lines.

The business model is dual-channel: a B2B enterprise sale of fermentation technology and PHA raw materials to industrial CO2 emitters seeking to monetize emissions under EU carbon market prices of approximately €100 per tonne, alongside sales of PHA biopolymers to consumer product manufacturers across packaging, fashion, textiles, medical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural end-markets. Revenue mechanics combine hardware/installation revenue from fermentation units with managed carbon-offset/emission-reduction services and PHA raw material sales; no public pricing is available. The company is financially anchored by European Innovation Council grants (notably a €2.6M award in October 2021 under the CO2TEXTILE program) and institutional investors including Hessen Kapital, EIC Fund, and Ghazan Global, with all current operational activity in Europe. Strategic activity is heavily consortium-based, anchored by the 2025 UNICO2RN project (coordinated by VITO, involving Veolia, Aerbio, Idener, Lesaffre, NIZO Food Research, nova-Institute, Nuada, and Sabio Biomaterials) to demonstrate integrated CO2 capture and conversion at TRL 7 on industrial sites.

Name

CO2 Bioclean

Legal name

CO2BioClean GmbH

Website

https://co2bioclean.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CO2 Bioclean is a Germany-based biotechnology company that operates a patented on-site fermentation process converting industrial CO2 emissions into biodegradable PHA biopolymers for textile, packaging, coating, and design applications. It serves industrial CO2 emitters and consumer product manufacturers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Biopolymers

NAICS

All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (325199), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (32519)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Platform & Commodity Chemicals (e.g., bio-ethylene, bio-propylene, bio-BTX, bio-methanol) (EUAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD), Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM), Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB), Compostable & Bio-based Rigid Packaging (injection/blow/thermoform) (IMANANAD), Compostable & Bio-based Flexible Films and Sheet (extrusion/cast/blown) (IMANANAC)

Keywords

• Biopolymer production
• Carbon capture technology
• Industrial CO2 conversion
• Biodegradable plastics
• Sustainable textile fibers

Headquarters

HQ city

Kronberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biopolymers (PHA) Sales: CO2BioClean produces biodegradable PHA biopolymers from industrial CO2 emissions that are sold as raw materials for consumer product manufacturing. The biopolymers can be transformed into materials for bioplastics, textiles, paper coating, and other applications.
2. Carbon Offset/Emission Reduction Services: Companies with CO2 emissions can use CO2BioClean's technology to reduce their carbon footprint, transforming emissions into valuable materials with market value. Given EU carbon market prices of approximately €100 per tonne, this provides economic benefit to industrial emitters.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CO2BioClean operates a proprietary, patented fermentation process that captures industrial CO2 emissions at source from facilities such as cement, steel, paper, glass, plastic, and biogas plants, and converts the captured CO2 into Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) biopolymers using naturally occurring, non-pathogenic, gram-negative microorganisms. The resulting PHA is sold as a raw material under three application lines—CO2 TEXTILE (fiber-grade), CO2 COATING (paper-coating-grade), and CO2 DESIGN (durable-materials-grade)—for downstream manufacturers in packaging, fashion, medical, pharmaceutical, furniture, and automotive sectors. On-site fermentation units are installed alongside industrial emitters, requiring no change to existing production processes.

Product overview

CO2BioClean operates as a biopolymer production company utilizing a proprietary and patented fermentation process that converts industrial CO2 emissions into Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) biopolymers. The company's product portfolio centers on this core biopolymer technology, which is offered across three application lines: CO2 COATING for paper coating with waterproof and barrier properties, CO2 DESIGN for sustainable materials featuring high mechanical performance and biodegradability, and CO2 TEXTILE for textile fibers that prevent microplastic release. The fermentation units are installed alongside industrial structures to capture emissions at source, with the resulting PHA serving as raw material for consumer-facing biodegradable and compostable products spanning packaging, agriculture, medical, furniture, and automotive sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates) Biopolymers Natural polyesters produced through CO2BioClean's patented fermentation process, serving as the raw material for bioplastics, textiles, and other applications. PHA biodegrades within one year through composting or in the sea and is supplied to manufacturers in packaging, agriculture, medical, pharmaceutical, paper coating, textile, furniture, and automotive industries.
• CO2 TEXTILE

Quantifiable outcome

• PHA biodegrades within one year through composting or in the sea
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• VITOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Coordinator of the EU-funded UNICO2RN project developing technology to capture biogenic CO2 from industrial sources and convert it into PHA for biodegradable plastics. CO2BioClean is part of this nine-organization consortium.
• AerbiomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Part of the UNICO2RN consortium of ten European research and industrial partners demonstrating CO2-to-bioplastics production.
• IdenermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Research partner in the UNICO2RN project contributing to CO2 capture and conversion technology development.
• LesaffremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Industrial partner in UNICO2RN consortium focused on fermentation and biological conversion processes.
• NIZO Food ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Research partner in UNICO2RN project contributing expertise in food-related fermentation and biological processes.
• nova-InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Research partner providing life cycle and sustainability assessment expertise to the UNICO2RN project.
• NuadamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Technology partner in UNICO2RN consortium working on CO2 capture and conversion solutions.
• Sabio BiomaterialsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Biomaterials specialist partner contributing to the development of PHA bioplastics from captured CO2.
• VeoliamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Industrial partner providing access to industrial sites for demonstrating CO2 capture and conversion technology at two industrial sites under near-commercial conditions (TRL 7).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture between TotalEnergies and Corbion producing Luminy PLA bioplastics at commercial scale, competing with PHA in packaging and consumer goods applications.
• Braskem: Broad incumbent petrochemical major producing I'm Green bio-based polyethylene from sugarcane, addressing the same brand-owner demand for renewable plastics at commercial scale.
• NatureWorks: Broad incumbent and global leader in bioplastics (PLA/Ingeo), serving packaging, foodservice, and consumer goods markets where CO2BioClean's PHA competes for sustainable material share.

Direct peers

• LanzaTech: Closest direct peer — uses proprietary gas fermentation to convert captured industrial gases (CO, CO2) into fuels and chemicals including PHA-related products. Targets the same industrial emitter customers and has demonstrated at commercial scale.
• Newlight Technologies (Sway): Direct peer converting captured greenhouse gases (including CO2) into PHA bioplastic for packaging and consumer applications using a proprietary bio-based process with comparable end markets.
• Mango Materials: Direct peer producing PHA biopolymers from waste biogas (methane and CO2) using bacterial fermentation, targeting similar biodegradable plastic applications with comparable technology approach.
• Danimer Scientific: Direct peer and one of the largest commercial PHA bioplastic producers (Nodax PHA), serving packaging, food service, and consumer goods markets that overlap with CO2BioClean's target end uses.
• Bio-on: European (Italian) direct peer developing PHA bioplastics from agricultural feedstocks using fermentation technology, with overlapping end-market focus on cosmetics, food packaging, and specialty applications.

Emerging players

• Carbios: Emerging peer focused on enzymatic recycling of PET and production of biorecycled/bio-based polyesters, addressing the same sustainability-driven substitution of fossil-based plastics.
• Yield10 Bioscience: Emerging peer developing PHA production in engineered camelina as a low-cost production route, addressing the same PHA market with a different feedstock approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/co2-bioclean-naturalbiopolymers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 CO2 Bioclean