What Bioclear earth does

Bioclear earth b.v. is a Dutch environmental advisory and research firm founded in 1988 as a spin-off of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen by Sytze Keuning, headquartered in Groningen with a team of 35 specialists in biotechnology, microbiology, soil science, and process technology. The firm operates as an 'adviesbureau' (consulting bureau) across three integrated practice areas: Bodem & Water (soil and groundwater remediation, including nature-based solutions such as phytoremediation, biosparging, NAWaBo, and the RemediaTES integration of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage with in situ bioremediation), Bodemgezondheid (soil microbiome health for agriculture and nature management), and Bio-energie (biogas optimization, bioaugmentation, and Power-to-Methane research). Core technology assets include proprietary DNA-analysis capabilities (qPCR and Next-Generation Sequencing) for quantifying and profiling microbial communities in soil, water, sludge, and biomass; an in-house molecular laboratory offering fee-for-service Biomethane Potential (BMP) testing and degradation tests; a proprietary Bio-IT data platform for visualizing microbiome interaction networks; and the Greenstep on-site bioreactor for boosting biogas yields from difficult-to-digest residual streams, which has been spun off into Greenmove Technologies for commercial scaling. The firm holds ISO 9001 plus BRL SIKB 2000 and 6000 certifications, and its patented Mikro Bio Turbation fermentation process supports peat-free substrate production.

Bioclear earth generates revenue through project-based advisory and consulting engagements plus fee-for-service laboratory analyses, with pricing customized per project and not publicly disclosed. Its primary customer segments are Dutch government bodies — provinces (Drenthe, Groningen, Friesland, Noord-Brabant), municipalities (Gemeente Hengelo), and water boards (Waterschap Noorderzijlvest) — followed by the agricultural sector (e.g., a 100-farmer Drenthe livestock project), the bio-energy sector (biogas plant operators), and industrial clients with contaminated sites. Distribution is entirely direct from the Groningen office, supplemented by EU-funded research consortium participation (Horizon 2020 projects MICRO4BIOGAS, LANDMARC, BUFFER+, TOLERATE; EFRO project Sugar 4 Fermentation; the European-Brazilian Citrusbusters project) that extends technical reach into Brazil and across Northwest Europe.

The company is privately held under founder Sytze Keuning with no disclosed external institutional investors, parent company, or subsidiaries beyond the Greenmove Technologies spin-off established with partners Ekwadraat and FB Oranjewoud. Marketing relies on the company's Dutch and English websites, organic social media, EU research visibility (CORDIS), and regional/national press coverage rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Bioclear earth

Legal name

Bioclear earth b.v.

Website

https://bioclearearth.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bioclear earth is a Dutch environmental advisory firm founded in 1988, providing microbiology-based consulting, laboratory DNA analysis, and biogas optimization services to government bodies, agricultural clients, and industrial enterprises across the Netherlands and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Fertilizers, Soil Amendments & Biostimulants (Digestate-derived, biochar-based inputs) (EUAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biogas Upgrading-to-Power (Biomethane-to-Power, Pipeline Injection + Power) (EUACAIAJ), Soil & Biomass Carbon Measurement (Soil Sampling, Forest Inventory, Blue Carbon) (EUABACAH), Biochar & Carbon-Based Soil Builders (AFABAKAG)

Keywords

• Environmental consulting services
• Bioremediation services
• Soil microbiome analysis
• Biogas optimization services
• DNA analysis laboratory

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: The company provides specialized consulting services on soil, water, and climate matters, working with clients on projects including soil and groundwater remediation, soil health, phytoremediation, bioaugmentation, climate adaptation, and eco-engineering. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements with government bodies, agricultural clients, and industrial enterprises.
2. Laboratory Testing Services: The company operates an in-house laboratory offering fee-for-service testing including BMP (Biomethane Potential) analyses, degradation tests, and DNA analyses (qPCR and NGS) with data interpretation. These services are offered to clients who need specialized microbiological testing for soil, water, or biogas installations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bioclear earth is an advisory bureau (adviesbureau) for soil, water, and climate that delivers specialized consulting and laboratory services across three practice areas: soil and groundwater remediation, soil health for agriculture and nature management, and bio-energy/green gas production. The company leverages proprietary DNA analysis (qPCR and NGS), an in-house molecular laboratory, and nature-based remediation technologies to provide bioaugmentation, phytoremediation, biomethane potential testing, and risk assessment services to government bodies, farmers, and industrial clients.

Product overview

Bioclear earth is a consulting and research firm ('adviesbureau') specializing in soil, water, and climate solutions, operating across three main service areas: Bodem & Water (soil and groundwater remediation), Bodemgezondheid (soil microbiome health for agriculture and nature), and Bio-energie (renewable energy through anaerobic digestion). The portfolio includes laboratory services (DNA analysis via qPCR and NGS, BMP digestion testing, degradation tests), technology products (the Greenstep on-site bioreactor for biogas boosting, the patented Mikro Bio Turbation peat-free fermentation process, the RemediaTES integrated ATES-bioremediation technology), a proprietary Bio-IT data platform, and advisory services spanning risk assessment, bio-augmentation, and phytoremediation. The three core service areas function as integrated practice areas supported by an in-house molecular laboratory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Greenstep Bioreactor On-site bioreactor product that introduces specialized cultivated micro-organisms into biogas digesters to accelerate enzymatic breakdown of lignocellulose materials, boosting green gas production from difficult-to-digest residual streams. The technology is now commercialized through spin-off Greenmove Technologies.
• DNA Analysis (qPCR and NGS) Service

Quantifiable outcome

• CVOC concentrations (cis-DCE and VC) reduced below Dutch intervention values within 55 days and maintained below thresholds for at least 321 days without biological clogging of ATES wells
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Greenmove TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Greenmove Technologies is a spin-off established by Bioclear earth together with partners Ekwadraat and FB Oranjewoud to commercialize the Greenstep bioreactor technology at scale. The Greenstep is an on-site bioreactor that boosts biogas production from difficult-to-digest residual streams. The spin-off was created following successful validation of the Greenstep through the Greenstep microbioom project funded by GasTerra.
• Citrusbusters ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Citrusbusters is a European-Brazilian project involving 11 partners from Europe and a key partner in Brazil (Centro de Citricultura Sylvio Moreira). The project aims to protect the European citrus industry from Huanglongbing (HLB) and Citrus Black Spot through microbiome analysis, biocontrol strategies, and early detection models. Bioclear earth contributes microbial community analysis from citrus plant samples.
• TOLERATE ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023TOLERATE is an EU-funded project (2023-2027) studying ancient DNA from Arctic soils to identify microbial genes that survived extreme conditions for millennia. Bioclear earth's role is to ensure these beneficial bacteria successfully establish in soil and support plant growth without disrupting existing microbial balance, evaluating survival through DNA-detection techniques.
• Universiteit de València, TU Dresden, Universiteit GentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Bioclear earth participates in the EU-funded MICRO4BIOGAS project (Horizon 2020, grant No 101000470) alongside universities of Valencia, Dresden, and Gent, and companies GasTerra and Darwin Bioprospecting. The project aims to identify, develop, and validate bioaugmentation strategies for anaerobic digestion that are technically feasible and economically viable. Bioclear earth contributes microbiological expertise and DNA analysis to map microbial processes in biogas reactors.
• LANDMARC ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020LANDMARC is an EU Horizon 2020 project (grant agreement No 869367) investigating how alternative land-use strategies can mitigate climate change. Bioclear earth evaluates the effects of different land-use forms on soil microbiology and coordinates worldwide sampling across 12 countries. The project involves Earth Observation tools and satellite technology for monitoring greenhouse gas concentrations.
• BUFFER+ ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020BUFFER+ is an EU Interreg/NWE project supported by the European Union involving 21 partners and 7 associated organizations from Northwest Europe. The project focuses on restoring and revitalizing peat landscapes for climate change mitigation and biodiversity promotion. Bioclear earth contributes by analyzing how soil management influences soil microbiology and overall soil health through DNA-sequencing.
• Power 2 Methane Consortium (Raak Pro)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Power 2 Methane project involves Bioclear earth together with Hanzehogeschool Groningen, GasTerra, Gasunie, Energy Valley, DMT, Enexis, and Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. The project investigates converting CO2 and hydrogen into methane using methanogenic Archaea microorganisms, contributing to green gas production and energy storage.
• Sugar 4 Fermentation Consortium (EFRO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFRO project involving Bioclear earth, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Wageningen Universiteit & Research, Senbis Polymer Innovations, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, and Sanovations. The project develops a blueprint for a fermentation plant in North Netherlands producing ~50 kiloton per year of building blocks for green chemistry from agricultural crops through fermentation.
• Stichting BlauwzaamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting Blauwzaam brings together companies, research institutions, and governments to promote sustainable entrepreneurship. As a partner in LANDMARC, Bioclear earth collaborates with Blauwzaam on researching the influence of peatland rewetting on soil microbiology and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Duurzaam Turfvrij Substraat ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA consortium working on alternatives to conventional peat substrates due to restrictions on peat extraction. The project received a subsidy of €799,068.29 with total project costs of over €1.8 million. The outcome is the Mikro Bio Turbation patented fermentation process for producing sustainable peat-free growing media.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with a large environmental and water practice serving Dutch provinces, municipalities, and industrial clients on soil, water, and remediation projects. A broad incumbent that competes with Bioclear earth on larger remediation mandates but lacks Bioclear's specialist microbiology and DNA-analysis positioning.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Dutch engineering and environmental consultancy with deep roots in water management, soil remediation, and industrial site assessment. Iwaco/Royal Haskoning (where senior Bioclear earth staff previously worked) is a comparable peer in the Dutch environmental consulting market, though much larger and broader in scope.
• Witteveen+Bos: Dutch engineering consultancy with strong water, soil, and environmental practices, serving similar government and water-board clients as Bioclear earth. Comparable in serving Dutch public-sector environmental mandates but operates at much greater scale and scope.

Direct peers

• TAUW Group: Dutch environmental consultancy specializing in soil, water, and sustainability advisory services. Most directly comparable peer in terms of size, geography, and service mix — competing for similar provincial, municipal, and industrial environmental mandates in the Netherlands.
• DMT Environmental Technology: Dutch environmental technology company specializing in biogas upgrading and gas treatment systems, a partner in Bioclear earth's Power 2 Methane consortium. Comparable in targeting biogas producers and green gas optimization, but with a hardware-focused rather than biology-focused offering.

Emerging players

• NatureMetrics: UK-based environmental DNA analysis company offering biodiversity monitoring and soil microbiome analysis using eDNA/qPCR/NGS technologies. Closest pure-play competitor on the DNA-based environmental analysis methodology Bioclear earth deploys, though serving biodiversity and conservation monitoring markets more heavily than soil remediation.
• SoilCares (part of AgroCares): Agtech company offering soil health analysis and nutrient testing services using near-infrared and other sensor-based methods. Comparable in targeting farmers and agronomists with soil health diagnostics, though using different underlying measurement technologies than Bioclear earth's DNA-based approach.
• Treevive: Emerging Dutch company specializing in phytoremediation and nature-based soil/water solutions, including the 'zuiverende bomen' (purifying trees) concept that overlaps directly with Bioclear earth's phytoremediation services. Comparable niche player in the Dutch nature-based remediation market.

Others

• Deltares: Dutch applied research institute focused on water, subsurface, and infrastructure. Former employer of Bioclear earth specialist Jidske Knigge and a research collaborator across soil and water projects. Functions as both an enabling research partner and an indirect competitor for advanced soil/water consulting mandates.
• KWR Water Research Institute: Dutch water research foundation conducting applied research on water quality, treatment, and emerging contaminants. Former employer of Bioclear earth specialist Afnan Suleiman and active on drinking water projects intersecting with Bioclear earth's groundwater remediation work.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

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 Bioclear earth