They can be found in our oceans, soils and even in our bodies. Microplastics – plastic particles smaller than 5 mm – have become a global crisis affecting human health. Each year, over 430 million tons of plastic are produced, a fraction of which breaks down into microplastics contaminating ecosystems. Unlike other pollutants, there is no “unexposed” group of humans – we are all affected.

Heeding the call, Europe has taken decisive action with a progressive ban on microplastics. This phase-out will unfold over the next decade, starting with rinse-off cosmetics in 2027 and extending to detergents, fertilizers, leave-on products, and even make-up by 2035. Within this clear and pressing regulatory window, industries are actually already looking for scalable, functional bio-based and biodegradable alternatives to fossil based products under the growing pressure coming from consumers.

Bioweg is tackling this challenge head-on by developing next-generation, bio-based and biodegradable materials. The company converts food industry by-products into bacterial cellulose through precision fermentation, refining it with green chemistry into “drop-in” alternatives to fossil-based polymers. From this platform, Bioweg has developed three distinct product lines to serve key markets:

• MicBeads, a biodegradable replacement for plastic microbeads in the cosmetics industry,
• Rheoweg, a bio-based rheology modifier for home care and cosmetics,
• Agriweg, a solution for seed coatings and fertilizer encapsulation in agriculture.

After validating their technology at pilot scale, Bioweg now aims to build their First-of-a-kind bacterial cellulose production plant with this €16M Series A round to bring their product to the market at scale.

Behind Bioweg’s mission are its two co-founders: Dr. Prateek Mahalwar (CEO), who holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute and brings experience in corporate and operations strategy from EY, and Srinivas Karuturi (COO), an entrepreneur who previously founded a fermentation startup before joining forces with Prateek to launch Bioweg in 2019.

At Axeleo Capital, within our Greentech Industry fund, we are proud to support Bioweg in its mission to provide a viable and scalable alternative to microplastics. Their vision, scientific excellence, and strong execution embody the kind of impact-driven innovation the world urgently needs and we are proud to lead this round with the support of Bon Venture, EIC, NBank and Dr Frank Jenner.

Congratulations to the Bioweg team on this milestone – we look forward to seeing their transformative solutions reshape the materials industry and help reduce humanity’s microplastic footprint.

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