Bactery
Bactery is a University of Bath spin-out that develops bacteria-powered soil microbial fuel cells ('Bacteries') generating continuous, maintenance-free electricity for remote agricultural sensors and IoT devices in precision farming applications across the United Kingdom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersBath, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Bactery does
Bactery Ltd. is a UK-based startup spun out of the University of Bath that has developed a proprietary soil microbial fuel cell technology commercialized under the product name 'Bacteries.' The device captures electrons naturally released by bacteria in soil and converts them into usable electricity, generating approximately 0.2 watts per square metre. The product is positioned as a self-recharging, maintenance-free, 25-30 year lifecycle energy source priced at approximately £25 per unit, designed to provide continuous 24/7 clean electricity without battery replacement or grid infrastructure.
The company's initial commercial focus is precision agriculture, where the Bacteries power remote sensors and IoT devices across agricultural operations, addressing pain points around battery replacement and the cost of powering sensors in remote field locations. The company sells direct via its website to agricultural customers, using a sales-led motion. It has explicitly stated its longer-term ambition to extend the technology into residential applications. The company is led by three co-founders - Dr. Jakub Dziegielowski (CEO), Prof. Mirella Di Lorenzo (CSO), and Dr. Benjamin Metcalfe (CTO) - with a small team of 1-10 people. It has been supported financially and programmatically by SOSV/IndieBio, SVG Ventures/Thrive, Innovate UK, Conception X, ICURe, and the University of Bath.
In 2026 Bactery received dual third-party validation: selection into Tech Nation's Climate Programme (a four-month accelerator for ClimateTech companies backed by HSBC Innovation Banking and Sage) and inclusion in Fast Company's 2026 list of Most Innovative Companies in Agriculture. The company operates exclusively in the United Kingdom and has not disclosed revenue, unit volumes, or commercial customer logos. The global bio-based battery market in which Bactery competes is small but growing, projected at USD 216.77 million by 2035 at a 7.10% CAGR from USD 110.11 million in 2025.
Bactery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bactery
- Legal name
- Bactery Ltd.
- Website
- https://bactery.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bactery is a University of Bath spin-out that develops bacteria-powered soil microbial fuel cells ('Bacteries') generating continuous, maintenance-free electricity for remote agricultural sensors and IoT devices in precision farming applications across the United Kingdom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bactery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Soil Microbial Fuel Cells (Agri-Tech Energy)
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- SIC
- Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microbial Biofungicides (AFABAEAB)
Keywords
Where Bactery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bath
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bactery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of soil microbial fuel cell devices (Bacteries) that generate electricity from soil bacteria. Each unit costs approximately £25 with an anticipated lifespan of 25-30 years with zero maintenance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single unit purchase at approximately £25 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Bactery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bactery manufactures and sells "Bacteries," bacteria-powered soil microbial fuel cell devices that capture electrons naturally released by soil bacteria and convert them into usable electricity. The devices self-recharge from microbial processes in soil, generate approximately 0.2 watts per square metre, and are designed for a 25-30 year lifespan with zero maintenance. The initial commercial target is powering remote agricultural sensors and IoT devices in precision farming, with future scaling planned toward residential applications.
Product overview
Bactery offers a single unified product called 'Bacteries' — bacteria-powered soil microbial fuel cells that self-recharge from soil to provide continuous 24/7 clean electricity. The company's initial commercial target is powering agricultural sensors in precision farming before scaling toward residential applications. The product costs approximately £25 per unit and has an anticipated lifespan of 25-30 years with zero maintenance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bacteries Soil microbial fuel cell device that captures electrons naturally released by bacteria in soil and converts them into usable electricity. Generates approximately 0.2 watts per square metre with an anticipated lifespan of 25-30 years and zero maintenance. Designed for powering remote agricultural sensors and IoT devices in precision farming applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Generates approximately 0.2 watts per square metre with zero maintenance and 25-30 year anticipated lifespan
Companies that use Bactery
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bactery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bactery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- University of BathcoreBactery was spun out of the University of Bath. The university continues to be a key partner providing research expertise and academic backing.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bactery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BeFC: BeFC (Bioenzymatic Fuel Cells) is a French startup developing paper-based bio-batteries that generate electricity from enzymatic reactions with organic substrates. It is the closest direct peer to Bactery, sharing the bio-battery architecture, ultra-low-power IoT target market, and sustainability positioning.
- Dracula Technologies: Dracula Technologies manufactures organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells that harvest ambient light to power IoT and connected devices. It directly competes with Bactery in the low-power energy harvesting for remote sensors category, targeting the same IoT customers with a different harvesting modality.
- Electro-Active Technologies: Electro-Active Technologies (formerly Cambrian Innovation) develops microbial electrolysis and bioelectrochemical systems that generate electricity and valuable chemicals from waste streams. It is comparable to Bactery in its use of microbial fuel cell technology, though applied to industrial wastewater rather than soil sensing.
Broad incumbents
- EnOcean: EnOcean is an established player in energy-harvesting wireless sensor technology for building automation and IoT. It is comparable to Bactery in addressing maintenance-free power for remote sensors, though it focuses on kinetic/light harvesting rather than microbial generation.
- Semtech: Semtech (owner of LoRa technology) provides low-power wide-area network chipsets for IoT sensors, including agricultural deployments. While not a power company, it addresses the same low-power remote-sensor ecosystem where Bactery competes for design wins.
Emerging players
- Powercast: Powercast develops RF-based wireless power and energy-harvesting solutions for low-power IoT devices. It overlaps with Bactery in the maintenance-free, remote-sensor-power value proposition, offering a different (RF rather than microbial) harvesting source.
- ONiO: ONiO is a Norwegian fabless semiconductor company developing ultra-low-power wireless microcontrollers for batteryless IoT. It is comparable to Bactery as a complementary technology provider targeting the same maintenance-free, energy-harvesting sensor node market.
- Ambient Photonics: Ambient Photonics develops low-light photovoltaic cells designed to harvest energy indoors and outdoors for IoT devices. It is comparable to Bactery in providing maintenance-free, low-light-harvesting power for remote sensors, targeting a similar customer profile with a different energy source.
Others
- CropX: CropX is a precision-agriculture sensor and analytics platform that Bactery explicitly targets as a customer. They are comparable as adjacent ecosystem participants — CropX as the demand-side sensor provider, Bactery as a potential power-supply alternative for in-field deployments.
- Sensoterra: Sensoterra manufactures wireless soil moisture sensors for precision agriculture and smart landscaping. It is comparable to Bactery as a customer-side agricultural IoT player that could integrate or partner with Bactery's microbial fuel cells for maintenance-free remote deployments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bactery social profiles
Digital presenceBactery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bactery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Bactery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bactery 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 Bactery
What does Bactery do?
Bactery manufactures and sells "Bacteries," bacteria-powered soil microbial fuel cell devices that capture electrons naturally released by soil bacteria and convert them into usable electricity. The devices self-recharge from microbial processes in soil, generate approximately 0.2 watts per square metre, and are designed for a 25-30 year lifespan with zero maintenance. The initial commercial target is powering remote agricultural sensors and IoT devices in precision farming, with future scaling planned toward residential applications.
Is Bactery a public or private company?
Bactery is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Bactery founded?
Bactery was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bactery based?
Bactery is headquartered in Bath, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Bactery make money?
One revenue line is on record: hardware Sales.
Who are Bactery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BeFC, Dracula Technologies and Electro-Active Technologies. Broad incumbents are EnOcean and Semtech. Emerging players are Powercast, ONiO and Ambient Photonics. Others are CropX and Sensoterra.
Does Bactery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bactery.
What industry is Bactery in?
Bactery's product category is Soil Microbial Fuel Cells (Agri-Tech Energy). Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAEAB, Microbial Biofungicides. Its NAICS code is 33591 and its SIC code is 3564.