Startup ingredient processor NovoNutrients has found a way to take industrial carbon dioxide waste and upcycle it, turning it into a high-grade protein for human and animal consumption. The process includes hydrogen and naturally occurring microbes, which ferment the CO2 into alternative protein products.
The company—originally called Oakbio—was incorporated in 2008 and started operating in 2009, but the technology platform was originally aimed at biomanufacturing n-butanol and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA, a biopolymer), says CEO David Tze. In 2017, the company focused on aquaculture nutrition, but became serious about the food industry more recently. To gear up for the next level, Tze hired four technical personnel within the past year.