Ioncell Oy
Ioncell Oy is a Finnish deep-tech spin-off from Aalto University that has developed a proprietary ionic liquid-based dry-jet wet spinning process to convert cellulose from textile waste, pulp, and biomass into sustainable textile and carbon fibers, with planned commercialization through technology licensing to textile manufacturers and brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersEspoo, Finland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ioncell Oy does
Ioncell Oy is a Finnish private limited company, spun out of Aalto University, that has developed the Ioncell-F process for producing man-made cellulose textile fibers. The technology uses a non-toxic, recyclable ionic liquid solvent in a dry-jet wet spinning architecture with a closed-loop solvent recovery system, enabling conversion of diverse cellulose feedstocks — including used textiles, pulp, old newspapers, cotton waste, and wood-derived biopolymers — into high-tenacity, silk-like, biodegradable fibers. Beyond fashion textiles, the same platform is being extended to bio-based carbon fiber precursors for aerospace and composites applications under the WoCaFi project.
The company is pre-commercial and operates at pilot scale, with a demonstration plant capable of approximately 10 kg/day of fiber output following a roughly €4 million facility investment. R&D activities are anchored at Aalto University and the Bioruukki piloting centre in Espoo, with pilot runs performed by VTT and a research collaboration with Deakin University / Carbon Nexus in Australia for carbon fiber development. The team has produced 91+ peer-reviewed publications (~1,915 citations) and trained 10+ PhD researchers.
Ioncell's current business model is grant-funded research with an intended future revenue model based on technology licensing and royalties to textile manufacturers and brands. The SolvRec consortium — comprising Stora Enso, Metsä Fibre, Andritz, and Marimekko, with Business Finland co-funding — is structured to de-risk commercial scale-up. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting textile industry partners for technology licensing and co-development. Named commercial collaborators are limited to Marimekko (design and fabric testing); all other relationships are R&D or funding partnerships (EU H2020, Business Finland, Academy of Finland, ERC).
Ioncell Oy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ioncell Oy
- Legal name
- Ioncell Oy
- Website
- https://ioncell.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ioncell Oy is a Finnish deep-tech spin-off from Aalto University that has developed a proprietary ionic liquid-based dry-jet wet spinning process to convert cellulose from textile waste, pulp, and biomass into sustainable textile and carbon fibers, with planned commercialization through technology licensing to textile manufacturers and brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ioncell Oy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Textile Fibers
- NAICS
- Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522), Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (325220), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (313110)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bio-based Textiles & Fibers (lyocell/viscose, cellulose filament, nonwovens) (IMAMALAK)
Keywords
Where Ioncell Oy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Espoo
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ioncell Oy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Technology Licensing: Ioncell is seeking to commercialize its technology through licensing agreements with textile manufacturers and brands. The company is positioning itself as a technology provider for sustainable fiber production.
- Research Collaboration and Funding: The company participates in funded research projects (EU H2020, Business Finland, Academy of Finland, ERC grants) which provide development funding while advancing the technology.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Ioncell Oy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ioncell Oy licenses the Ioncell® technology, an ionic liquid-based dry-jet wet spinning process that converts cellulose from used textiles, wood pulp, and old newspapers into high-quality, biodegradable man-made cellulose fibers for the textile and fashion industry. The process uses a non-toxic, recyclable ionic liquid solvent in a closed-loop configuration, and the same platform can spin bio-based carbon fiber precursors (WoCaFi) for composites and aerospace applications. The company is currently in the piloting phase with a 10 kg/day demonstration plant in Espoo and is commercializing primarily through technology licensing and co-development with industrial partners.
Product overview
Ioncell® is a single unified technology platform that produces sustainable man-made cellulose fibers. The core Ioncell® technology uses an innovative ionic liquid solvent process with dry-jet wet spinning to convert cellulose from used textiles, pulp, or newspapers into high-quality textile fibers. The process operates in a closed loop with recyclable solvent. Ioncell® Demo Products showcase the technology's applications in fashion and accessories including garments (evening gowns, dresses, coats, tops), accessories (scarves, iPad covers, phone cases), and fabrics for partners like Marimekko.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ioncell® Technology (ionic liquid dry-jet wet spinning fiber platform) Licensable fiber production technology that uses a non-toxic, recyclable ionic liquid solvent in a closed-loop dry-jet wet spinning process to convert cellulose from used textiles, pulp, and old newspapers into high-quality man-made cellulose fibers for textile manufacturers and fashion brands.
- WoCaFi Bio-based Carbon Fiber Precursor (Ioncell-F based)
- Ioncell® Demo Products (reference garments and accessories)
Quantifiable outcome
- Fibers are stronger than viscose and less of a burden on the environment
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ioncell Oy
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ioncell Oy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Ioncell Oy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stora EnsocoreSolvRec project partner working on development of the Ioncell technology. Business Finland (Tekes) funded project with focus on closed-loop solvent recovery for ionic liquids.
- Metsä FibrecoreSolvRec project partner providing pulp expertise for Ioncell technology scale-up. Part of Business Finland funded consortium developing closed-loop ionic liquid recovery.
- AndritzcoreSolvRec project partner contributing engineering expertise for Ioncell technology scale-up and pilot facility development.
- MarimekkocoreSolvRec project partner and design collaborator. Created Paju demo dress and interior fabric designs. Contributed design expertise and fabric testing capabilities.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandminorTeKiDe project partner performing pilot runs at Bioruukki piloting centre in Espoo. ERDF/EAKR funded project for piloting Finnish textile fiber technologies.
- Deakin University / Carbon Nexus (Australia)minorWoCaFi project collaborator for carbon fiber production. Carbon Nexus facility in Australia handles pyrolysis and carbonization of Ioncell-spun precursor filaments.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ioncell Oy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lenzing AG: World-leading producer of lyocell (Tencel) and modal cellulose fibers for apparel and hygiene, plus established REFIBRA recycled-content lyocell. A broad incumbent in man-made cellulosic fibers with similar end-customer base (global fashion brands) but at industrial scale and using the incumbent NMMO solvent route.
- Birla Carbon (PAN-based carbon fiber competitors): A leading carbon black and PAN-based carbon fiber producer serving tire, rubber and composite markets. Relevant as the incumbent Ioncell's WoCaFi project aims to disrupt via bio-based PAN-replacement precursors for the same aerospace/automotive composite customers.
- Eastman (Naia Renew): US specialty chemicals company selling Naia cellulosic fiber and Naia Renew (made with 50%+ recycled pulp) into apparel and home textiles. Comparable in cellulosic textile fiber category and brand-supply model, though relying on conventional dissolving-pulp chemistry rather than Ioncell's ionic-liquid process.
- Sateri: China-based, world's largest viscose (rayon) producer with growing lyocell capacity and recent moves into recycled-cellulose fibers. Competes with Ioncell in the regenerated-cellulosic textile fiber end-market, though focused on volume viscose rather than novel ionic-liquid processing.
- Aditya Birla Group (Birla Cellulose): One of the world's largest viscose and lyocell fiber producers via Birla Cellulose, serving apparel brands globally with man-made cellulosic fibers including recycled-content lines. Comparable in end product category (regenerated cellulose textile fibers) but an incumbent with established capacity and brand partnerships.
Emerging players
- Circ: US-based recycler turning polycotton textile waste back into separable cellulose and polyester feedstocks for fiber production. An emerging player in cellulose recovery from textiles with overlapping feedstock philosophy, though uses hydrothermal/solvolysis rather than ionic-liquid spinning.
- Worn Again Technologies: UK-based polymer recycling company targeting textile-to-textile recovery of polyester and cellulose from old garments. Comparable as a textile-recycling emerging player addressing the same feedstock problem (post-consumer textiles) even though its output is cellulose feedstock rather than spun fiber.
- Carbios: French biotech company using enzymatic depolymerization to recycle PET and recently cotton-rich textiles. Adjacent emerging player addressing textile-waste-to-fiber, particularly relevant where brands seek circular-cellulose claims though it focuses on enzymatic rather than ionic-liquid processing.
Direct peers
- Infinited Fiber Company: Finnish fiber-technology company producing regenerated cellulose fibers (Infinna) from textile waste, with patent licensing to textile manufacturers. Closely comparable in geography (Finland), feedstock (post-consumer textiles) and licensing-driven commercialization model, though using a different chemical process (carbamate).
- Renewcell (Circulose): Swedish cellulosic textile-to-textile recycling company using a dissolving-pulp process to produce 100% recycled Circulose fiber for apparel brands. Directly comparable to Ioncell in target market (fashion brands) and end-product (regenerated cellulose fiber from textile waste), though using an NMMO/lyocell-style process rather than ionic liquids.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ioncell Oy social profiles
Digital presenceIoncell Oy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ioncell Oy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Ioncell Oy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ioncell 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 Ioncell Oy
What does Ioncell Oy do?
Ioncell Oy licenses the Ioncell® technology, an ionic liquid-based dry-jet wet spinning process that converts cellulose from used textiles, wood pulp, and old newspapers into high-quality, biodegradable man-made cellulose fibers for the textile and fashion industry. The process uses a non-toxic, recyclable ionic liquid solvent in a closed-loop configuration, and the same platform can spin bio-based carbon fiber precursors (WoCaFi) for composites and aerospace applications. The company is currently in the piloting phase with a 10 kg/day demonstration plant in Espoo and is commercializing primarily through technology licensing and co-development with industrial partners.
Is Ioncell Oy a public or private company?
Ioncell Oy is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Ioncell Oy founded?
Ioncell Oy was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ioncell Oy based?
Ioncell Oy is headquartered in Espoo, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Ioncell Oy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Technology Licensing is the primary driver. The others are research Collaboration and Funding.
Who are Ioncell Oy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lenzing AG, Birla Carbon (PAN-based carbon fiber competitors), Eastman (Naia Renew), Sateri and Aditya Birla Group (Birla Cellulose). Emerging players are Circ, Worn Again Technologies and Carbios. Direct peers are Infinited Fiber Company and Renewcell (Circulose).
Does Ioncell Oy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ioncell Oy.
What industry is Ioncell Oy in?
Ioncell Oy's product category is Sustainable Textile Fibers. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMALAK, Bio-based Textiles & Fibers (lyocell/viscose, cellulose filament, nonwovens). Its NAICS code is 32522 and its SIC code is 2820.