What Amaea does

Amaea (legally Amaea Limited) is a New Zealand deep-technology company, headquartered in Hamilton (Waikato), that develops and commercializes molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) filtration technology for the wine industry. Founded in 2011 as a science research facility, the company spent over a decade in R&D before identifying wine remediation as its commercial application. Its core technology engineers polymer beads with billions of imprinted binding sites per gram that selectively capture target molecules — smoke markers, pyrazines, oxidation products, Brettanomyces compounds, sulfides, and excess phenolics — while preserving wine aromatics, mouthfeel, and structure. The MIPs are regenerable and reused across treatment cycles, positioning the technology as a lower-waste alternative to single-use fining agents such as PVPP and gelatin.

The company sells through a modular product suite: amaea VPx (smoke impact remediation), amaea RMx (fault and taint remediation covering pyrazines, Brettanomyces, oxidation, frost damage, MOG, and sulfides), amaea PFx (palate fining), and amaea CSx (cold stabilization). Solutions are delivered as on-site, single-pass, low-pressure filtration treatments. The go-to-market model is indirect: Amaea licenses its MIP technology to a network of regional service-provider partners — VA Filtration USA and Winesecrets (US), Cellar Dweller (Canada), and Vintech Pacific (New Zealand) — who own and operate mobile filtration units and deliver treatment to wineries on-site. Revenue mechanics combine technology licensing/royalties from these partners with per-treatment managed-service fees, preceded by consultative bench trials that set dose and flow rates before commercial-scale treatment.

Amaea serves mid-to-large commercial wineries facing climate and environmental volatility, with named customers including Jackson Family Wines, Giesen Wines, Sonoma Bespoke, Marisco Vineyards, Terralux Estate, Lion NZ, Paritua Wines, and Cleomont Vineyards. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is set per project based on wine volume and treatment type. The company validates efficacy through academic partnerships (University of Adelaide peer-reviewed ACS research showing 35–57% volatile phenol removal, Oregon State and Washington State Tri-Cities, UC Davis) and has won innovation awards including the 2024 LESI Innovation Award and 2024 WINnovation Award.

Name

Amaea

Legal name

Amaea Limited

Website

https://amaea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Amaea is a New Zealand deep-tech company providing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) filtration technology to wineries, selectively removing smoke taint, pyrazines, oxidation, and phenolics, delivered on-site through licensed regional service-provider partners across the US, Canada, and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Filtration Technology

akta.pro primary industry

Filtration & Filter Aids (Diatomaceous Earth, Perlite, Cellulose) (AFAJAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Filtration Media & Dust Collection Textiles (Air/Liquid Filtration) (IMAOADAC)

Keywords

• Molecular filtration technology
• Wine filtration systems
• Smoke taint remediation
• Palate fining solutions
• Wine fault remediation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MIP Filtration Service (Mobile Treatment): Amaea operates through licensed service provider partners who own and operate Amaea's MIP filtration systems. Winemakers book the mobile filtration unit for on-site commercial-scale treatment. The service is delivered per treatment/job, with dose and flow rates determining treatment scope and cost. MIPs are regenerable, enabling multiple uses per unit of media and reducing per-treatment costs at scale.
2. Licensing of MIP Technology to Service Provider Partners: Amaea licenses its MIP technology and provides operational protocols to regional service provider partners (VA Filtration USA, Winesecrets, Cellar Dweller, Vintech Pacific) who deploy the technology in their respective markets. Partners own the MIP systems and generate revenue from wine treatment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Amaea develops and licenses molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) filtration technology for the wine industry, delivered through a branded product suite (VPx for smoke impact remediation, RMx for fault and taint remediation, PFx for palate fining, and CSx for cold stabilization). Treatment is delivered on-site through a network of licensed regional service provider partners who own and operate mobile MIP filtration units, bringing selective, regenerable molecular filtration directly to commercial wineries. The company also extends its MIP platform toward juice and coffee applications.

Product overview

Amaea is a deep-tech company specializing in molecular filtration technology for the wine industry. Their core offering consists of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology deployed through a modular product suite: VPx for smoke taint remediation, RMx for fault and taint remediation (covering frost, pyrazines, Brettanomyces, oxidation, and sulfide compounds), PFx for palate fining (replacing traditional fining agents), and CSx for cold stabilization. All products use reusable MIP filtration media that selectively captures target molecules while preserving wine character. Solutions are delivered through a network of service provider partners in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• amaea VPx: Smoke remediation solution using molecularly imprinted polymers to selectively remove smoke marker compounds from wine.
• amaea RMx
• amaea PFx
• amaea CSx

Products and services

• amaea VPx — Smoke Impact Remediation MIP-based single-pass, low-pressure filtration system that selectively removes volatile phenols and thiophenols responsible for smoke taint while preserving varietal character, body, and aromatics of wine. Sold to commercial wineries in wildfire-affected regions, delivered as on-site treatment by licensed service provider partners.
• amaea RMx — Fault & Taint Remediation MIP-based remediation solution that selectively removes off-aromas caused by pyrazines (green/vegetal aromas), Brettanomyces taint, frost damage compounds, oxidation products, MOG, and sulfide faults, while preserving wine character. Used by commercial wineries for vintage remediation and delivered on-site by licensed service provider partners.
• amaea PFx — Palate Fining Sustainable alternative to single-use fining agents (PVPP, gelatin) that selectively captures phenolic compounds responsible for bitterness and astringency while preserving wine structure, aromatics, and mouthfeel. Delivered on-site to commercial wineries by licensed service provider partners and balances palate in days rather than the weeks required by conventional agents.
• amaea CSx — Cold Stabilization Molecular filtration solution for potassium bitartrate (KHT) cold stabilization, delivering stable wine 85% faster and with up to 85% less energy use than conventional cold stabilization. Uses a one-pass filtration system combining heat exchange technology with functionalized, reusable crystals to provide instant on-demand cold stabilization without additives or extra processing steps.
• MIP Filtration Service (On-site Mobile Treatment) On-site commercial-scale MIP filtration treatment service delivered by Amaea's licensed regional service provider partners via mobile filtration units. Customers begin with a 2–3 hour bench-scale trial to determine optimal dose and flow rates, then schedule commercial-scale treatment on a pay-as-you-go basis with pricing determined by wine volume, treatment type, and parameters.

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Napa Valley VintnersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2026Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) helped underwrite the UC Davis 'On the Road in Napa' event where Amaea hosts a MIP tasting station. NVV members receive discounted registration ($75 vs. $90 general admission) to the educational event.
• WinesecretscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 December 2023Long-standing US service provider partnering with Amaea to deliver smoke remediation technology to American wineries. Winesecrets brings decades of industry experience and provides on-site MIP treatment services. Eric Dahlberg, President of Winesecrets, expressed confidence in the partnership's ability to deliver outstanding outcomes. Treated 65,000 gallons of Oregon Pinot Noir commercially.
• Cellar DwellercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 September 2023One of British Columbia's most respected mobile filtration service providers, partnering with Amaea to deliver molecular filtration technology for smoke-impacted wine treatment in the BC wine region. General Manager Robert Kwakernaak cited the partnership as a turning point for technology-driven solutions in the BC wine sector. Collaboration planned to extend to Brettanomyces taint, polyphenol fining, and other challenges.
• Jackson Family WinescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021A leading US wine producer engaged with Amaea in 2020 through a development and commercialization agreement, helping validate, test, and expand the MIP portfolio into areas including palate fining, smoke remediation, and cold/hot stabilization alternatives. This partnership provided critical market validation and accelerated product development. ASEV poster research conducted with Jackson Family Wines published in 2023.
• VA Filtration USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary US service provider partner headquartered in Napa, CA. VA Filtration owns and operates Amaea's MIP filtration systems, including the largest system Amaea has built to date, enabling Californian wineries to access the technology on-site. The partnership was announced in late 2024 and expanded in 2025 with VA Filtration exhibiting at major wine industry events on Amaea's behalf.
• Vintech PacificcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand-based service provider partner delivering Amaea's MIP filtration technology to NZ wineries. Vintech Pacific brings mobile filtration units to wineries including Paritua Wines (oxidation remediation), Cleomont Vineyards (palate fining), and others. Partnership strengthens NZ's position as a world-class wine producer through access to advanced filtration technology.
• University of AdelaideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWine science researchers led by Professor Kerry Wilkinson validated Amaea's MIP technology for smoke taint removal (35–57% volatile phenol removal across Chardonnay, rosé, and Cabernet Sauvignon). Research published in ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2024. Partly funded by the Australian Government.
• Oregon State University / Washington State University Tri-CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearchers from OSU and WSU Tri-Cities identified thiophenols as a new class of smoke-impact compounds, enabling Amaea to expand its MIP design to target this compound class alongside volatile phenols. This research informed the thiophenol removal capabilities of Amaea VPx.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scott Laboratories: US-based supplier of winery equipment, ingredients, and processing aids including filtration media and fining agents. Directly comparable as a primary supplier to North American wineries for processing solutions competing in similar budget lines as Amaea's products.
• AEB Group: Global supplier of oenological products, fermentation aids, and filtration solutions for wineries and beverage producers. Comparable to Amaea in serving wine producers with specialty processing and filtration technologies across international markets.
• Gusmer Enterprises: Supplier of filtration media, equipment, and processing aids to the North American wine industry. Comparable to Amaea in serving wineries with filtration and processing solutions, with established relationships across major US wine regions.
• Enologica Vason: Italian producer of oenological products including fining agents, enzymes, and filtration aids for the wine industry. Directly comparable as Amaea's PFx product competes with Vason's traditional fining agents like PVPP and gelatin alternatives in the same winery processing workflow.
• Della Toffola Group: Italian manufacturer of wine processing equipment including filtration systems for wineries. Directly comparable to Amaea as both serve commercial wineries with filtration and remediation technologies, though Della Toffola operates at significantly larger scale and broader equipment portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Pall Corporation: Large industrial filtration company serving food and beverage, biopharmaceutical, and industrial markets with broad filtration portfolio. Comparable to Amaea at the technology level (selective filtration media) but operates across many industries rather than specializing in wine remediation.
• 3M Purification: Large industrial filtration division of 3M serving food and beverage, water, and industrial markets with broad media portfolio. Adjacent competitor with resources to potentially enter selective molecular filtration for beverage applications, representing a long-term competitive threat.
• Sartorius AG: Global bioprocessing and laboratory equipment supplier with strong filtration portfolio serving biopharmaceutical and food industries. Comparable to Amaea through advanced selective filtration technology though Sartorius focuses on bioprocessing while Amaea focuses on beverage applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Amaea