Vertus Energy, an Austrian Waste-to-X (treating waste as a resource) industrial biotech startup, has closed €8.75 million in seed funding round. It was led by global investors Energy Capital Ventures, joined by Blackbird, which backed Partly, the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, and Aussie Angels, alongside existing investors.
The startup will use the fresh capital to scale its flagship product, BRIO, into pilot projects.
What challenge does it fix?
The global biogas market is projected to grow at around 5.2% annually from 2020 to 2030, reaching $86.7 billion by 2030. Europe is expected to be one of the major players in this field, having set biomethane production targets to reach 35 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year by 2030.
This is where Vertus Energy comes into the picture as it is developing and commercialising advanced control of bacteria behaviour. The company believes in a world that uses all of its resources to achieve 100% renewable energy, which includes waste.
What does Vertus Energy do?
Founded by Dr. Danilo Perez, Freddy Gonzalez, Benjamin Howard, and Santiago de los Reyes, Vertus Energy controls bacteria to create power from waste. Vertus Energy is beginning its contribution to the global transition by turbocharging biomethane production for a more resilient, versatile, and sustainable energy system.
It has created two technologies – BRIO and BODA that revolutionise the way the world can transform waste into energy. The flagship product, BRIO, creates the platform for Vertus to control the bacteria within anaerobic digestion plants by retrofitting their modular hardware unit that can generate 60% more energy, 3 times faster. Vertus Energy is determined to democratise access to sustainable energy through its advanced BRIO technology and its purpose of delivering energy justice for all.
Its second technology BODA is a carbon sequestration and conversion technology. BODA can either be used to upgrade the biogas from AD into Bio-methane or it can capture raw CO2 and convert it into renewable natural gas.
Vertus Energy co-founder and COO, Benjamin Howard said: “Vertus Energy is determined to radically improve access to sustainable energy and help Europe meet its renewable energy objectives. Thanks to the backing of our proprietary BRIO technology by world-class investors, we’re able to deliver some key objectives.”
Vic Pascucci, Managing General Partner and Cofounder of Energy Capital Ventures, commented: “As the only venture capital fund solely dedicated to green molecules™, we have devoted the last several years to analysing technologies and start-ups in biogas, biomethanation, and renewable natural gas. It was abundantly clear from our exhaustive due diligence that Vertus Energy’s technology, commercial progress, and team were far superior to anything in the market. We backed Vertus Energy because they have a fantastic team, clearly demonstrative technology, and verifiable results that vastly surpass competitive options.”
Wolfgang Neubert, General Partner at the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, noted:: “We were impressed by Vertus’ commitment to deep-tech innovation and their solid foundation of scientific data. It aligned perfectly with our focus on supporting companies that are not only driven by innovation but also committed to sustainability. Looking through a long-term lens, we are excited by BRIO’s potential for further advancements in the biogas market and look forward to uncovering those broader possibilities, with Vertus being positioned at the forefront of the sustainable energy push.”
What do we think about Vertus Energy?
The Austrian startup revolutionises renewable energy generation by converting waste into power. With its innovative technologies, the company enhances biomethane production and carbon sequestration, contributing to Europe’s renewable energy goals. With strong backing from global investors and a commitment to sustainable energy, Vertus Energy is poised to make a notable impact in the biogas market.
