Pitch: a startup developing a platform to produce fermentation-grade sugars from CO₂ and hydrogen as an alternative to crop-derived feedstocks for biomanufacturing.

Source: solarferm

ID card

• HQ: New Zealand
• Founded: 2023
• Funding: NZ$25K
• Last Funding: Undisclosed amount (06/2026)
• Partnerships: Ø
• Innovations: Continuous platform converting CO₂ and hydrogen (or methane) into fermentation-grade glucose and other sugars
• Competitors: Ø
• Regulation: Ø (nothing disclosed)

More insights

• Solarferm is developing a continuous platform to produce fermentation-grade sugars from CO₂, and either hydrogen or methane, through two conversion stages:
  • Thermochemical: methane/natural gas is converted using heat and a catalyst into a chemical intermediate.
  • Biological: engineered bacteria convert the intermediate into glucose. Its first-generation system uses photosynthetic bacteria and internal lighting, which Solarferm aims to reduce or eliminate.
• It focuses on glucose as a scalable and secure alternative to crop-derived sugars.
  • It claims 50× faster production than growing crops, 20% lower costs than conventional feedstocks and 50% lower carbon emissions than conventional sugar.
• Its techno-economic modelling suggests price parity or better with fermentation-grade dextrose (~$550/tonne) at industrial scale.
• The platform can also produce rare sugars such as allulose and tagatose, using glucose as a starting point.
• The startup is considering several business models:
  • Licensing its technology to energy companies (having a supply of methane through their natural gas extraction process) seeking new product streams.
  • Co-locating with fermentation facilities to supply sugars directly to biomanufacturers and recycle up to 50% of their fermentation CO₂ into its process.
  • Producing and selling sugars itself.
• It is targeting the US as a first market, both for its large natural gas industry and its leading role in biomanufacturing.

For Symrise

Why did we select the startup?

• Solarferm addresses an upstream fermentation bottleneck with a potentially lower-cost alternative to crop-derived glucose compatible with existing biomanufacturing processes.
• Its long-term ability to produce rare sugars such as allulose and tagatose also makes it relevant to Symrise for sugar reduction and functional ingredients.

Why now?

• It is targeting the US as a first market and could provide an edge in the competition to establish a leadership position in the emerging food biomanufacturing industry.
• It is preparing a seed round and already reports industry interest, including from a multinational dairy company seeking long-term feedstock security.

Source: solarferm