What BIOntier does

BIOntier is a European research consortium launched in October 2024 and coordinated by FORTH (Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas) in Heraklion, Greece. It develops a new generation of multifunctional, lightweight, recyclable bio-based composites (BioC) combining biodegradable polymers, bio-based reinforcement fibers (flax, hemp, bamboo), lignin-based carbon fibers, and graphene-oxide additives, targeting industrial applications at TRL≥6. The consortium spans 25 partners across 12 countries — including Stellantis, Centro Ricerche Fiat, four Fraunhofer institutes, DLR, RISE, TNO, TECNALIA, and CIMNE — and validates the technology through six use cases: cockpit dashboard (Jeep Renegade), structural impact absorber (Egea Hatchback), battery pack housings (Jeep Avenger, BMW E-scooter, LUCID), supersonic aircraft access panel (Dawn Mk-II Aurora), hydrogen storage tank, and water filtration vessels. Manufacturing processes under development include 4D hybrid printing, thermoplastic RTM, tape winding, injection molding, and thermo-compression molding, with a Safe and Sustainable by Design framework integrated from inception.

The project is funded by Horizon Europe through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (grant No 101155925) and UKRI (grant No 10137600), with a total budget of €8,345,472.50 (€7,017,866 EU contribution) over a 36-month period ending September 2027. BIOntier is not a commercial entity and generates no product revenue; its outputs — materials, processes, LCA/LCCA data, and standardization inputs — are intended to be licensed or commercialized by consortium partners. GTM is event-driven, centered on demonstration projects, JEC World trade show participation, quarterly newsletters, and cross-project collaborations with sister RIA programs (SALIENT, GIANCE). The addresses market is the Bio-based Composites segment, estimated at over €27 billion in 2022 with an 18.63% CAGR through 2030, driven by demand in automotive, aerospace, energy, and water treatment.

Name

BIOntier

Legal name

BIOntier project consortium

Website

https://biontier.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BIOntier is a 25-partner European research consortium, coordinated by FORTH, developing multifunctional, recyclable bio-based composites validated across six industrial use cases in automotive, aerospace, hydrogen, and water treatment. It is funded by €8.35M in Horizon Europe and UKRI grants through September 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bio-based Composites Research & Development

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodegradable Composites & Biocomposites (natural fiber-reinforced) (IMAEAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodegradable Polymers & Resins (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMAEAOAA), Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, starch blends) (IMANAAAG)

Keywords

• Bio-based composites
• Sustainable materials research
• Circular bioeconomy
• Industrial biocomposites
• Lightweight materials development

Headquarters

HQ city

Heraklion

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Research Funding: Funded by Horizon Europe through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and UKRI, providing €7,017,866 EU contribution out of €8,345,472.50 total grant for 36-month project duration (2024-2027)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BIOntier is a European research and innovation project that develops multifunctional, lightweight, recyclable, and sustainable bio-based composites (BioC) with advanced thermal, mechanical, and chemical resistance properties for high-level industrial applications at TRL≥6. The project validates its technology through six industrial use case demonstrators in automotive, aerospace, hydrogen storage, and water treatment sectors, with the resulting materials and processes intended for commercialization by consortium partners.

Product overview

BIOntier is a European research project developing a new generation of Bio-based Composites (BioC) — multifunctional, lightweight, recyclable, and sustainable materials with advanced thermal, mechanical, and chemical resistance properties for industrial applications at TRL≥6. The project does not offer a commercial product but rather develops and validates its BioC technology through six use case demonstrators: UC1 (cockpit dashboard for Jeep Renegade), UC2 (structural impact absorber for Egea Hatchback), UC3 (battery pack housing for multiple EV models), UC4 (aircraft access panel for Dawn Mk-II Aurora), UC5 (hydrogen storage tank), and UC6 (water filtration vessels). These demonstrators span automotive, aerospace, energy (hydrogen), and water treatment sectors, with manufacturing processes including 4D hybrid printing, thermoplastic RTM, tape winding, thermocompression molding, and injection molding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bio-based Composites (BioC) Technology Platform A new generation of multifunctional, lightweight, recyclable, and sustainable bio-based composite materials combining biodegradable polymers, bio-based reinforcement fibers (flax, hemp, bamboo), and advanced formulations with thermal, mechanical, and chemical resistance properties for high-level industrial applications at TRL≥6 across automotive, aerospace, hydrogen storage, and water treatment sectors.
• UC1 - Cockpit Dashboard Demonstrator Semi-structural trim component for the Jeep Renegade combining aesthetic design with lightweight properties, demonstrating bio-composite suitability for automotive interior applications.
• UC2 - Structural Impact Absorber Demonstrator Structural impact absorber for the Egea Hatchback model designed to enhance safety in collision events, showcasing bio-composite energy absorption capabilities for automotive structural applications.
• UC3 - Battery Pack Housing Demonstrator Battery pack housing including top covers and base plate for multiple EV models (Jeep Avenger, BMW E-scooter, LUCID), designed to improve battery safety while remaining lightweight using thermoplastic bio-composites (PA11 or biobased PP with flax fabrics) replacing steel, aluminum, or glass fiber reinforced thermoset composites.
• UC4 - Aircraft Access Panel Demonstrator Access panel for the Dawn Mk-II Aurora supersonic aircraft, adapted to thermal and mechanical constraints of aviation using thermoplastic composite of flax fibre and PA11 as an alternative to carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin.
• UC5 - Hydrogen Storage Tank Demonstrator Hive low-pressure hydrogen storage tank designed to support the hydrogen economy, utilizing lignin-based carbon fibers and APA6 infused with graphene oxide for high-strength and airtight requirements.
• UC6 - Water Filtration Vessel Demonstrator High-pressure tanks for reverse osmosis water filtration using hemp-based PLA bio-composite materials, designed to enhance durability of purification processes and improve recyclability compared to stainless steel or fiberglass vessels.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SALIENTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2024SALIENT is an EU-funded Research & Innovation Action (RIA) focusing on future-proof light vehicle designs with increased compatibility with mixed traffic and better preparation for crashes and collisions. BIOntier collaborates with SALIENT on joint workshops and knowledge exchange in advanced materials for automotive applications.
• GIANCEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2024GIANCE develops multifunctional graphene-based materials capable of integrating advanced functionalities such as enhanced electrical conductivity, damage sensing, and improved mechanical performance. Collaboration focuses on integrating graphene-based materials into advanced lightweight structures.
• FORTH (Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFORTH is the project coordinator, leading WP9 (Management) and key technical activities including SSbD integration, safety and sustainability assessment, and 4D hybrid printing development for recyclable high-pressure water filtration solutions.
• StellantiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor automotive manufacturer participating in use cases for vehicle components including battery pack housings and interior parts for Jeep Renegade, Jeep Avenger, and other models.
• CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRF leads WP5 (Validation and Demonstration), focusing on development of PHA reinforced with bamboo fibers (95% bio-based content) for automotive interior components and validating bio-composite performance for automotive applications.
• Fraunhofer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour Fraunhofer institutes (ICT, LBF, IWU, CBP) lead WP7 (Life Cycle Assessment), circularity tasks, composite processing, and upscaling of lignin processing. Also quality and risk manager for the project.
• RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRISE leads standardization and regulation of biobased materials, including C14 analysis for biobased composites. Also develops sensors and devices for structural health monitoring using novel additive manufacturing techniques.
• BCMaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the work package for development of sustainable platform for biobased materials, coordinating production of bio-based composites for hydrogen storage (UC5) and water filtration (UC6).
• TECNALIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading three major work packages focused on development of bio-caprolactam composites with natural fibers, thermoplastic RTM process for APA6 composites, and tape winding processes for hydrogen tank reinforcement.
• Etelätär InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading work package on dissemination, exploitation, and communication, driving sustainable practices within supply chain and managing IPR activities to maximize commercialization of bio-based technologies.
• GrapheneacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping graphene oxide materials to enhance mechanical and gas-barrier properties of bio-polymer matrices. Participating in WP1, WP2, WP3, WP5, WP8, and WP9.
• IRIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading UC6 for bio-composite vessels for water treatment systems, using PLA matrix with hemp fibers and additives for high-pressure reverse osmosis applications.
• COMPOSITECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading UC3 for automotive battery pack housings with thermoplastic bio-composites, developing battery top covers and base plates using PA11 or biobased PP with flax fabrics.
• DLR (German Aerospace Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping UC4 for aerospace access panels using flax fiber and PA11 thermoplastic composites, leading testing and validation work package for mechanical and non-destructive testing.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo teams (Brightlands Materials Center and Biobased and Circular Technologies) contributing to EoL methodology, recycling tasks, and lignin production for flame retardants and carbon fibers.
• CIMNE (International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProviding advanced numerical solutions to model mechanical behavior of bio-based composites, developing multi-scale modeling techniques and machine learning algorithms for predictive accuracy.
• CTAG (Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Task 2.3 on Circular Design and Multi-Parameter Optimization, contributing to EOL analysis and Life Cycle Cost study of all use cases.
• EURECATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting multiple work packages with expertise in sustainable materials, manufacturing processes, and circular design. Contributes to injection molding, thermal compression molding, and hydrogen tank barrier development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Emerging players

• Lingrove: US-based maker of natural fiber composites using flax and bio-resins targeting automotive, marine, and consumer goods; overlapping materials thesis (natural fiber + bio-polymer composites) with lighter commercial scale.
• Greenlight Biosciences (now part of Concentric): Adjacent synthetic biology platform developing bio-based chemicals that can serve as resin precursors or additives; relevant as a forward-looking feedstock technology for next-generation bio-composite chemistries.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemicals incumbent with Ecovio and other biodegradable polymer grades plus extensive automotive materials portfolio; offers overlapping bio-polymer chemistry at industrial scale relevant to BIOntier downstream adoption.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture producing Luminy PLA bioplastics used as matrices in bio-composites; comparable raw material layer to BIOntier's polymer choices and a potential supply partner or competitor.
• NatureWorks: Global leader in PLA biopolymer manufacturing (Ingeo resin), a core input for BIOntier's PLA-based bio-composites; serves as both a potential supplier and adjacent incumbent in the bio-based materials value chain.
• Novamont: Italian producer of Mater-Bi biodegradable bioplastics (including starch/PHA blends) with established EU industrial partnerships; directly comparable biodegradable polymer portfolio for BIOntier formulations.
• UPM Biochemicals: Finnish biorefinery producing bio-based glycols, lignin, and monomers used in composites; UPM Formi is an established natural fiber composite line, directly comparable as a bio-composite producer and feedstock supplier.
• Arkema: French specialty chemicals group producing Rilsan PA11 (castor-based polyamide) — directly used by BIOntier (e.g., COMPOSITEC UC3 battery housing, DLR UC4 aerospace panel) — making Arkema both a technology comparable and a potential incumbent competitor.

Direct peers

• Trifilon: Swedish producer of bio-based composites combining natural fibers with recycled or bio-based polymers for consumer and mobility applications; comparable materials platform and European industrial focus.
• Bcomp: Swiss company developing natural fiber-reinforced composites (flax, hemp) for automotive interior and structural parts, with documented use in motorsport and OEM series production — closely comparable technology stack and automotive customer focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BIOntier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biontier
• Xx.com/BiOntier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BIOntier