C16 Biosciences uses innovative processes found in nature to brew sustainable alternatives to palm oil.
Palm oil is everywhere: it’s in our food, clothes, shampoo, and even the fuel that powers our cars. But this $61 billion industry has drastic environmental and societal costs: rainforests from Costa Rica to Indonesia are destroyed to make way for oil palm tree plantations, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroying habitats for people and endangered wildlife along the way.
But palm oil doesn't have to be a problem. There remains an urgent need for consumers and companies alike to switch to environmentally conscious, sustainable palm oil products.
C16 was founded with the objective of creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to conflict palm oil. By offering producers, refiners, traders and consumers of palm oil an opportunity to invest part of their production into bio-based oils and sustainability efforts, our aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of palm oil production and protect precious natural land, wildlife, and resources in the process.
We've developed technology to brew a sustainable alternative to palm oil from microbes.
Fermentation is a well-proven commercial process that has been used for centuries to convert raw materials into consumable commercial products consumed by billions of people every day. We believe that brewing palm oil like beer is the best and most likely path to developing a truly sustainable palm oil alternative.
Our palm oil is sustainable -- it doesn't involve deforestation, endangering precious animal species, or forcing inhumane labor practices. The result is a world where consumers can enjoy the products they love without worrying about the dangerous practices involved in making them.
Palm oil is everywhere: it’s in our food, clothes, shampoo, and even the fuel that powers our cars. But this $61 billion industry has drastic environmental and societal costs: rainforests from Costa Rica to Indonesia are destroyed to make way for oil palm tree plantations, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and destroying habitats for people and endangered wildlife along the way.
But palm oil doesn't have to be a problem. There remains an urgent need for consumers and companies alike to switch to environmentally conscious, sustainable palm oil products.
C16 was founded with the objective of creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to conflict palm oil. By offering producers, refiners, traders and consumers of palm oil an opportunity to invest part of their production into bio-based oils and sustainability efforts, our aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of palm oil production and protect precious natural land, wildlife, and resources in the process.
We've developed technology to brew a sustainable alternative to palm oil from microbes.
Fermentation is a well-proven commercial process that has been used for centuries to convert raw materials into consumable commercial products consumed by billions of people every day. We believe that brewing palm oil like beer is the best and most likely path to developing a truly sustainable palm oil alternative.
Our palm oil is sustainable -- it doesn't involve deforestation, endangering precious animal species, or forcing inhumane labor practices. The result is a world where consumers can enjoy the products they love without worrying about the dangerous practices involved in making them.
Employees: 11-50
Total raised: $24.5M
Founded date: 2018
Investors 15
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Funding Rounds 2
| Date | Series | Amount | Investors |
| 26.01.2024 | Grant | $4.5M | - |
| 03.03.2020 | Series A | $20M | - |
Mentions in press and media 30
| Date | Title | Description |
| 09.04.2025 | How This Animal-Free ‘Designer’ Fat Maker Is Reshaping Future Food Economics | 6 Mins Read Australian firm Nourish Ingredients has completed an industrial-scale production of its animal-free, meat-like fat while keeping costs low – here’s how it’s doing it. Six months after forming a partnership with Chinese fermentat... |
| 31.03.2025 | Clean Body, Clean Planet: Colgate-Palmolive Taps Palm Oil Alternative for Fermented Soap Bar | 4 Mins Read Colgate-Palmolive has teamed up with NoPalm Ingredients to make a sustainable soap bar from a fermentation-derived palm oil alternative. Soon, you could be using soap made from food waste and fermentation. The climate kicker? It... |
| 06.12.2024 | Lypid Kitchen's Vegan Baos: A Culinary Leap at Moana 2 Premiere | In a world where food meets innovation, Lypid Kitchen has made a splash. The Californian food tech startup partnered with Disney to unveil its first retail product, the BBQ Pork Piggy Bao, at the world premiere of Moana 2 in Hawaii. This ev... |
| 05.12.2024 | Vegan Fat Startup & Disney Team Up to Serve ‘Piggy Baos’ at Moana 2 World Premiere | 4 Mins Read Californian food tech startup Lypid has debuted its consumer brand via a partnership with Disney, serving vegan pork baos at the Moana 2 premiere in Hawai’i. At the world premiere of Disney’s latest record-breaking film, Moana 2... |
| 15.11.2024 | Aussie Startup Inks Deal to Make & Distribute Animal-Free Fat in China | 4 Mins Read Canberra-based Nourish Ingredients has partnered with Chinese fermentation specialist Cabio Biotech to produce and distribute its precision-fermented fat alternative. Highlighting American fears of falling behind China in the bi... |
| 20.10.2024 | The Rise of AgriFoodTech: A New Era of Sustainable Innovation | The world of AgriFoodTech is buzzing. It’s a landscape ripe with innovation, where sustainability meets technology. Companies are racing to transform how we produce and consume food. This week, the headlines overflowed with exciting develop... |
| 16.10.2024 | Liberation Labs to Advance Precision Fermentation Facility with $3.5M Fundraise | US biomanufacturing company Liberation Labs has raised $3.5 million via a Secured Promissory Note (“Note”), including a $2.0 million subscription from the VC firm Agronomics Limited (LSE: ANIC). With this note, Agronomics’ total investment ... |
| 09.10.2024 | The Green Revolution: Innovations in Sustainable Beauty and Pet Care | In a world grappling with climate change, two industries are making waves: beauty and pet care. Both are pivoting towards sustainability, driven by innovation and necessity. The cosmetics sector is notorious for its environmental footprint.... |
| 09.10.2024 | THG Labs to Use Palm Oil Alternative Made From Waste Bread for Beauty & Personal Care Products | 4 Mins Read British cosmetics manufacturer THG Labs has partnered with Clean Food Group to develop beauty and personal care products with eco-friendly oils made from food waste. THG Labs, the product development division of British personal... |
| 29.07.2024 | NoPalm Ingredients Sizzles with €5M Seed Funding to Scale Palm Oil Alternative | 4 Mins Read Dutch startup NoPalm Ingredients has raised €5M ($5.4M) in a seed funding round to accelerate production of its sustainable palm oil alternative. The investment round was led by Rubio Impact Ventures, and co-led by Oost NL, Fair... |
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