CyanoCapture
CyanoCapture is a UK-based biotech company that uses genetically engineered Synechococcus cyanobacteria and CRISPR-Cas12a to convert CO2 into high-value compounds, serving pharmaceutical, industrial, and government customers across carbon capture, biomanufacturing, and oral drug delivery applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersOxford, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CyanoCapture does
CyanoCapture is a UK-based biotechnology company founded in 2021 that has developed a proprietary photosynthetic biomanufacturing platform using genetically engineered Synechococcus cyanobacteria strains to convert CO2 into high-value compounds. The company's core technology stack includes patented cloning methods, CRISPR-Cas12a editing tools, and a library of genetic parts enabling 200+ engineered strains with a record 2.2-hour doubling time, 2-3x faster CO2 fixation than alternatives, and energy requirements approximately 6x lower than Direct Air Capture (350 kWh/ton vs 2,000 kWh/ton). The platform is being applied across three primary use cases: industrial CO2 capture from flue gas, zero-sugar production of biologics including a synthesized $30 billion market drug molecule, and a carboxysome-based oral drug delivery system for protein and peptide therapeutics.
CyanoCapture operates a multi-segment business model anchored on enterprise partnerships and non-dilutive grant funding. Revenue streams include technology licensing for CO2 capture applications, pharmaceutical biomanufacturing partnerships (with Persist AI for a planned Q4 2026 GMP facility in San Francisco), contract manufacturing of high-value compounds, and government research grants totaling approximately $11.5 million (£5m UK Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, €4m Horizon Europe Portugal project), supplemented by recognition from XPRIZE, Shell, and L'Oreal. Customer segments span pharmaceutical/biotech companies seeking oral biologics, energy and industrial emitters targeting CO2 capture, industrial biotechnology buyers, and government/research institutions advancing net-zero objectives. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales and direct strategic partnerships, with $27 million in pre-orders and LOIs and 2 private contracts delivered as commercial traction evidence. Headcount of 1-10 is supplemented by fractional commercial leadership with prior experience at Oxford Nanopore, Ginkgo Bioworks, GSK, Simulate, and Reliance Industries.
CyanoCapture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CyanoCapture
- Legal name
- CyanoCapture Ltd
- Website
- https://cyanocapture.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CyanoCapture is a UK-based biotech company that uses genetically engineered Synechococcus cyanobacteria and CRISPR-Cas12a to convert CO2 into high-value compounds, serving pharmaceutical, industrial, and government customers across carbon capture, biomanufacturing, and oral drug delivery applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CyanoCapture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Photosynthetic Biomanufacturing & Carbon Capture Technology
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development) (HLAAAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO (HLAGABAC), Microbiome Manufacturing, Formulation & Delivery Technologies (encapsulation, spores, oral delivery) (HLAAAFAJ)
Keywords
Where CyanoCapture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oxford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
CyanoCapture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- CO2 capture technology licensing: Licensing photosynthetic biomanufacturing technology to industrial customers for carbon capture applications. Revenue from technology deployment and ongoing support.
- Government research grants: Funding from government programs including £5m UK Government Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, £4m Horizon Europe project in Portugal, and XPrize grants from the Musk Foundation.
- Pharmaceutical biomanufacturing partnerships: Partnership revenue from developing oral protein and peptide therapeutics using cyanobacteria-based delivery platform. Initial focus on converting injectable therapeutics into oral formulations.
- High-value compound synthesis: Contract manufacturing of enzymes, growth factors, interferons, and peptide drugs using photosynthetic cell platforms for pharmaceutical and biotech customers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
CyanoCapture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CyanoCapture operates a cyanobacteria-based photosynthetic biomanufacturing platform that uses genetically engineered Synechococcus strains to convert CO2 into high-value compounds including enzymes, growth factors, interferons, peptide drugs, and recombinant proteins, eliminating the need for sugar-based feedstocks. The company also develops a carboxysome-based targeted drug delivery platform enabling oral administration of injectable biologics, and provides contract manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and industrial customers through its proprietary zero-sugar process.
Product overview
CyanoCapture operates a platform-based business offering photosynthetic biomanufacturing services. The core offering is a cyanobacteria-based platform that converts CO2 into high-value molecules including industrial enzymes, peptides, growth factors, cytokines, and recombinant proteins. The platform is built on engineered Synechococcus strains (doubling every 2.2 hours) that use CRISPR-Cas12a for genetic modifications. Key offerings include the Carboxysome Targeted Drug Delivery platform (using protein shell nanocages for therapeutic delivery) and oral biologics manufacturing in partnership with Persist AI. The platform produces 3 out of 7 biological products in pipeline successfully and has $27m in pre-orders and LOIs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Photosynthetic Biomanufacturing Platform Cyanobacteria-based biomanufacturing platform using engineered photosynthetic cells (Synechococcus strains doubling every 2.2 hours) to convert CO2 into complex molecules including enzymes, growth factors, cytokines, peptides, and recombinant proteins without requiring sugar-based feedstocks or FBS. For pharmaceutical, biotech, and industrial customers.
- Carboxysome Targeted Drug Delivery Targeted drug delivery platform using carboxysomes - bacterial microcompartments consisting of polyhedral protein shells approximately 100 nanometers in diameter that can be loaded with drug molecules for therapeutic delivery. Developed for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
- Oral Protein and Peptide Drug Manufacturing Contract manufacturing service for clinical-scale oral biologics using CyanoCapture's cyanobacteria-based oral drug delivery platform, with initial focus on converting injectable protein and peptide therapeutics into oral formulations. Delivered through partnership with Persist AI for pharmaceutical and biotech customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- CO2 fixation rate 2x faster than model cyanobacteria strain and 3x faster than other algal strains
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CyanoCapture
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CyanoCapture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
CyanoCapture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Persist AIflagshipStrategic collaboration to build the world's first robotic GMP manufacturing facility for oral protein and peptide drugs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Expected to be operational by Q4 2026. Combines CyanoCapture's cyanobacteria-based oral drug delivery platform with Persist AI's robotic formulation systems. Initial focus on converting injectable therapeutics into oral formulations to eliminate daily injections for patients.
- University of LiverpoolcorePartnership to develop bionanotechnology for targeted drug delivery using carboxysome-based protein shell nanocages. Collaborative research combining Liverpool's academic expertise with CyanoCapture's engineering capabilities.
- Horizon Europe (EU Commission)core€4m EU-funded project (2024-2027) led by CyanoCapture in Portugal. Fastest cell line will be used to capture CO2 and produce biocrude oil. Involves multi-partner academic and industrial consortium.
- LGEMcorePartnership for photobioreactor technology deployment in carbon capture applications. LGEM provides photobioreactors backed by decades of algae and cyanobacteria culturing experience. Successfully demonstrated CO2 capture from methanol fuel cell flue gas at 3400L scale.
- Mourik EGPcoreCollaboration for portable fuel cell generator technology that emits CO2 which is then captured by CyanoCapture's cyanobacteria. The methanol fuel cell generator produces up to 5kW of electrical power, and the cyanobacterial photobioreactor demonstrates removal of CO2 from flue gas.
- University of LeedscoreH2Boost project collaboration backed by £5m UK Government Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. Involves dark fermentation converting organic waste to biohydrogen, with CyanoCapture's technology capturing by-products and emissions. Successfully operated 1000L photobioreactor for 1000 hours continuously.
- H2Boost Consortiumcore£5m UK government-backed project including Aardvark EM, AB Agri, CM90, CyanoCapture, MyGroup, NNFCC, Qube Renewables and Ramboll. Focuses on biohydrogen production and BECCS using cyanobacteria technology.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CyanoCapture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ginkgo Bioworks: The largest publicly listed synthetic biology platform company; CyanoCapture's CTO and several scientists came from Ginkgo. Both firms engineer microorganisms for industrial biomanufacturing, but Ginkgo operates at much broader scale and across many chassis and end markets.
- LanzaTech: Carbon-capture-to-fuels leader using gas fermentation rather than photosynthesis. Highly comparable on the CO2-utilisation thesis but differs in feedstock (industrial gases vs. CO2) and end products; competes for the same industrial emitter customer set.
Direct peers
- Solar Foods: Finnish company using gas fermentation to produce protein from CO2 — directly comparable technology approach (microbial conversion of CO2 to high-value compounds) and shares the same decarbonisation value proposition to industrial customers.
- NovoNutrients: US-based company converting industrial CO2 emissions into aquaculture feed via microbial fermentation. Comparable carbon-to-product platform targeting commodity biomanufacturing, similar stage of commercialisation.
- Cemvita: US biotech using engineered microbes (including photosynthetic pathways) to convert CO2 into chemicals and fuels. Overlaps with CyanoCapture on CO2 utilisation and synthetic biology chassis engineering for industrial markets.
- Phytonix: US cyanobacteria engineering company producing n-butanol and other chemicals directly from CO2 using engineered photosynthetic organisms. Closely aligned technology stack and target end markets as CyanoCapture.
- Provectus Algae: Australian synthetic biology company engineering photosynthetic microalgae for high-value compound production. Comparable chassis engineering focus and contract-manufacturing business model serving specialty chemical and pharma customers.
- Lumen Bioscience: US biotech producing biologic drugs (antibodies, enzymes, peptides) using engineered cyanobacteria. Closely comparable on chassis choice (Synechocystis/Synechococcus) and use of photosynthetic biomanufacturing for oral or topical biologics.
Emerging players
- Aircela: Early-stage company building distributed machines that convert CO2 from air into fuels and chemicals. Comparable on the CO2-to-products thesis though using heterogeneous catalysis rather than biological platforms.
Others
- Persist AI: CyanoCapture's strategic partner for the upcoming robotic GMP oral biologics facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. Adjacent enabling partner providing formulation and manufacturing automation rather than competing in chassis engineering.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CyanoCapture social profiles
Digital presenceCyanoCapture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CyanoCapture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
CyanoCapture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CyanoCapture 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 CyanoCapture
What does CyanoCapture do?
CyanoCapture operates a cyanobacteria-based photosynthetic biomanufacturing platform that uses genetically engineered Synechococcus strains to convert CO2 into high-value compounds including enzymes, growth factors, interferons, peptide drugs, and recombinant proteins, eliminating the need for sugar-based feedstocks. The company also develops a carboxysome-based targeted drug delivery platform enabling oral administration of injectable biologics, and provides contract manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and industrial customers through its proprietary zero-sugar process.
Is CyanoCapture a public or private company?
CyanoCapture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CyanoCapture founded?
CyanoCapture was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CyanoCapture based?
CyanoCapture is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CyanoCapture make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. CO2 capture technology licensing is the primary driver. The others are government research grants, pharmaceutical biomanufacturing partnerships and high-value compound synthesis.
Who are CyanoCapture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ginkgo Bioworks and LanzaTech. Direct peers are Solar Foods, NovoNutrients, Cemvita, Phytonix, Provectus Algae and Lumen Bioscience. Aircela is listed as an emerging player. Persist AI is listed as an others.
Does CyanoCapture have an API?
No public API is recorded for CyanoCapture.
What industry is CyanoCapture in?
CyanoCapture's product category is Photosynthetic Biomanufacturing & Carbon Capture Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAD, Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development), with a secondary code of HLAGABAC, Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.