Archeon BiotechnologiesAn Austrian startup converting CO2 into functional protein material has announced that it has achieved a significant milestone in its manufacturing process after successfully setting up a new pilot production plant.
Located in Vienna’s Seestadt innovation hub, the new facility expands the company’s infrastructure with a 150L bioreactor system that, according to the company, will improve its process and lay the biotechnological foundation for future large-scale production.
Last year andTheon Biotechnologies unveils its revolutionary new technology, capable of converting CO2 into protein. According to the company, the improved process requires 99% less land and only 0.01% of the water required for traditional agriculture. Furthermore, microorganisms fed by gas fermentation techniques are capable of producing all 20 essential amino acids.
The pilot plant was built in collaboration with Sedlak, steamtech, Boehm Stadtbaumeister and Gebaudetechnik GmbHChancellor Roof, Bioengineering AgGasulting, RW and Serviceteam among others.
Capacity expansion
Archeon Biotechnologies also announced that it has commissioned a 3000L bioreactor, scheduled for late 2024 that will mark the company’s entry into commercial production capacity, producing tonnes of product. The Austrian startup said it has already partnered with companies worldwide To develop innovative protein applications for F&B products.
The future demo facility will be located in the technology center Seestadt, a project that aims to create more production and office space for new startups, such as Arkeon. The center is currently under construction by the Vienna Business Agency.
Arkeon’s revolutionary protein has attracted various investors including ICL, aws Gründerfonds, FoodHack and Tet Ventures. In March 2022, the company raised €6.5 million in seed funding to further develop its process, and announced last December that it had secured another four million euros to convert CO2 into food and build a new research and development center.
“The successful implementation of our pilot production plant represents a solid foundation and technology foundation for our company to unlock our production technology at scale. This is an essential step on our way to scaling up large commercial production outputs”, said Dr. Gunther Bochmann, Head of Technical Projects at Archeon.