What Carbiolice does

Carbiolice, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Riom, France, develops and commercializes an enzymatic masterbatch technology (marketed as CARBIOS Active) that enables polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics to fully biodegrade and disintegrate at ambient temperature in natural soil and home compost conditions, removing the historical requirement for industrial high-temperature composting. The proprietary enzyme-based formulation is sold as a masterbatch that PLA manufacturers and converters integrate into their existing production lines, with demonstrated applications spanning flexible and rigid food packaging, foodservice articles (straws, forks), agricultural films, air-cushion packaging and coffee capsules.

The company is a subsidiary of Carbios, the French enzymatic-recycling and biodegradation group, and operates as the dedicated go-to-market vehicle for PLA biodegradation applications. Its core product is the CARBIOS Active masterbatch, supported by certified Home Compost outcomes and complemented by application-specific demonstrators (multilayer barrier films, straws, forks) plus partner-commercialized finished products — notably SLEEVER's biodegradable heat-shrink labels and FROMM's Airpad BIO air cushions.

Carbiolice monetizes through a licensing- and masterbatch-sales model targeting enterprise B2B customers: PLA producers, packaging converters and brand owners. Distribution is direct via expert consultation, supplemented by strategic co-development partnerships (SLEEVER, FROMM) and outbound licensing (Wankai for Asian markets). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and engagement is contact-based. Parent Carbios recorded a €15 million non-cash impairment on its Carbiolice stake in FY2025, indicating a material downward revaluation, while the wider Carbios group reported €5.7 million in FY2025 operating revenues across all activities.

Name

Carbiolice

Legal name

Carbiolice

Website

https://carbiolice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carbiolice, a French subsidiary of Carbios, commercializes a patented enzymatic masterbatch (CARBIOS Active) that makes PLA bioplastics home-compostable at room temperature. It sells and licenses this technology to PLA manufacturers, packaging converters and brand owners via co-development partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Riom

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing and Masterbatch Sales: Revenue generated through licensing of proprietary enzymatic technology and sale of CARBIOS Active masterbatch products to PLA manufacturers and packaging companies. Strategic partnerships with SLEEVER and FROMM for co-development and commercialization of specialized applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Carbiolice develops and markets the CARBIOS Active enzymatic masterbatch, an additive incorporated into PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastic packaging that enables complete disintegration and biodegradation at ambient temperature and in natural soil environments. The technology removes the requirement for industrial high-temperature composting facilities while preserving product integrity during shelf life, addressing the end-of-life challenge for short-life PLA packaging such as flexible films, foodservice articles, heat-shrink labels, air cushions, coffee capsules, and agricultural applications.

Product overview

Carbiolice, operating under the CARBIOS Active brand, offers a single core product: the CARBIOS Active enzymatic masterbatch. This masterbatch technology transforms PLA bioplastic by enabling complete compostability at ambient temperature, eliminating the need for industrial composting. The product portfolio encompasses the masterbatch itself along with specific application examples developed through partnerships: PLA enzymatic films, straws, and forks (demonstrating versatility across flexible packaging, foodservice items, and rigid containers). Commercial partner products include SLEEVER heat-shrink labels and FROMM Airpad™ BIO air cushions, both leveraging the enzymatic technology for Home Compost certification. The company positions its technology as enabling a circular economy for biopolymers by solving the end-of-life challenge for PLA-based packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CARBIOS Active Enzymatic Masterbatch Proprietary enzymatic masterbatch additive incorporated into PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastic packaging to enable full disintegration and biodegradation at ambient temperature in natural soil environments, eliminating the need for industrial high-temperature composting while preserving product integrity during shelf life. Sold to PLA packaging manufacturers and converters.
• PLA Enzymatic Multi-layer Barrier Films Multi-layer barrier films manufactured from enzyme-treated PLA that achieve home-compost certification with complete disintegration and biodegradation at room temperature. Targeted at flexible packaging applications.
• PLA Enzymatic Drinking Straws Single-use drinking straws manufactured from PLA with enzymatic treatment enabling home-compostable end-of-life disposal. Targeted at foodservice and hospitality applications.
• PLA Enzymatic Forks Foodservice cutlery items (forks) made from PLA with enzymatic treatment enabling home-compostable end-of-life disposal. Targeted at foodservice and quick-service restaurant applications.
• SLEEVER Home Compost Heat-Shrink Labels Heat-shrinkable biodegradable labels leveraging CARBIOS Active enzymatic technology for the shrink-sleeve label market, certified Home Compost via the SLEEVER partnership. Targeted at brand owners and converters needing certified compostable labels.
• Airpad BIO Home Compost Air Cushions Air cushions for protective packaging using enzymatically-enhanced PLA for home-compostable disposal, developed with FROMM. Targeted at e-commerce and logistics protective packaging applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• PLA compostable at ambient temperature (room temperature) in natural soil environments

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SLEEVERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARBIOS and SLEEVER partnership for co-development and commercialization of first biodegradable heat-shrink labels certified Home Compost. This strategic collaboration targets the shrink sleeve label market with enzymatically-enhanced PLA solutions.
• FROMMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARBIOS and FROMM partnership to develop and commercialize first Airpad BIO Home Compost air cushions. Collaboration focuses on protective packaging solutions using enzymatically-enhanced PLA for home compostability.
• WankaicoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing agreement with Wankai for deployment of PET biorecycling technology in Asia. Strategic priority for Carbios group in 2026 to expand technology reach through Asian market licensing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NatureWorks: Global leader in PLA bioplastic resin manufacturing (Ingeo). NatureWorks supplies the very PLA resins that Carbiolice's enzymatic masterbatch is designed to enhance, making it a critical upstream counterpart and the most consequential player in Carbiolice's value chain.
• Kingfa Sci & Tech: Large Chinese materials group with a growing portfolio of biodegradable and compostable plastics. Comparable to Carbiolice in targeting the same end-use applications (bags, films, foodservice) with mass-market scale and Asian manufacturing footprint.
• BASF (Ecovio / Ecoflex): BASF markets Ecovio compostable compounds and Ecoflex PBAT, directly competing with Carbiolice in compostable packaging materials. Operates as a broad incumbent with deep global reach and a much larger commercial footprint.

Direct peers

• Novamont: Italian producer of Mater-Bi starch-based compostable bioplastics for packaging, foodservice, and agriculture. Competes with Carbiolice's enzymatic PLA route by offering an alternative certified-compostable polymer platform targeting the same brand-owner sustainability use cases.
• Sukano: Swiss masterbatch specialist with a dedicated line of bio-based and compostable masterbatches for PLA and other bioplastics. Among the closest direct peers to Carbiolice because both sell additive concentrates designed to be let-down into bioplastic resins for converter customers.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Major PLA (Luminy) bioplastic resin producer jointly backed by TotalEnergies and Corbion. Directly comparable to Carbiolice because both serve converters seeking home-compostable and biodegradable PLA applications, though Corbion supplies resin rather than additives.
• Danimer Scientific: US-based producer of PHA-based bioplastics (Nodax) for compostable packaging and foodservice applications. Comparable to Carbiolice as a competing pathway to home-compostable end-of-life for single-use plastics.
• FKuR Kunststoff: German specialty compounder of bio-based and compostable plastics (Biograde, Bio-Flex, Terralene). Closely comparable to Carbiolice because both sell formulated compounds/masterbatches enabling converters to reach certified compostability.

Emerging players

• Bio-On: Italian developer of PHA-based bioplastics (Minerv PHA) from agricultural waste. Functions as an emerging peer to Carbiolice with overlapping sustainability positioning but a different polymer chemistry targeting similar single-use and specialty applications.

Others

• Carbios: Parent company of Carbiolice and developer of enzymatic PET biorecycling technology. Listed for completeness as the strategic umbrella entity; its PET recycling platform is technologically adjacent but addresses a different value-chain step than Carbiolice's PLA biodegradation masterbatch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carbiolice
• Facebookfacebook.com/Carbiolice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carbiolice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Carbiolice