Revolutionizing Waste: BIOWEG Secures €1.5 Million Funding to Transform Industrial Byproducts into Precious Metals

Quakenbrück-based BIOWEG, in collaboration with Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), has successfully secured €1.5 million in funding to advance its waste-to-value platform technology for water-based Rare Earth Element (REE) recovery.

This funding, provided by SPRIND, Germany’s Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation, is part of the Tech Metal Transformation Challenge. The main goal of this challenge is to develop and validate innovative processes for recovering critical metals from complex waste streams.

Dr. Prateek Mahalwar, the co-founder and CEO of BIOWEG, expressed his excitement about the funding from SPRIND. He stated, “The funding from SPRIND will enable us to expedite the development of a sustainable and bio-based REE recovery platform in partnership with TU Berlin. This platform builds upon BIOWEG’s expertise in waste stream-based fermentation and green chemistry, expanding the application of capabilities already utilized at scale in bacterial cellulose production.”

The year 2025 has seen a significant influx of early-stage capital into bio-based, fermentation, and sustainable materials technologies across Europe. Companies like EvodiaBio in Denmark, Kynda in Germany, and Fiberdom in Finland have raised substantial amounts to further develop innovative technologies in these areas.

The total investment in fermentation-driven and bio-based material technologies in 2025 amounts to approximately €12.5 million. This context underscores the significance of BIOWEG’s €1.5 million funding for the development of its waste-to-value platform for REE recovery.

Founded in 2019 by Dr. Prateek Mahalwar and Srinivas Karuturi, BIOWEG utilizes precision fermentation and green chemistry to create high-performance, bio-based, and biodegradable ingredients. These ingredients serve as alternatives to microplastics and fossil-derived polymers in various industries.

By converting food-industry side streams into high-purity bacterial cellulose, BIOWEG supports reformulation in personal care, home care, and agriculture. The company’s product families include Micbeads, RheoWeg, and AgriWeg, offering a range of functional materials for different applications.

BIOWEG operates a demonstration site in Quakenbrück, Germany, and a lab in Monheim on the Bayer Crop Science campus. The company’s collaboration with TU Berlin aims to bridge the gap between fundamental research and industrial-scale applications using principles of Green Chemistry.

Despite the growing demand for REEs in Europe, BIOWEG highlights the risks associated with geographically-concentrated global production. Conventional REE recovery processes are energy-intensive and environmentally harmful, prompting the need for sustainable alternatives.

BIOWEG’s platform technology combines bioleaching with peptide-based separation technology to recover REEs in a low-energy, environmentally friendly manner. The company’s focus on selective chemistry and low-energy processes aligns with its commitment to sustainability and innovation.

In conclusion, BIOWEG’s innovative approach to REE recovery showcases the potential for bio-based solutions to address critical challenges in the metals sector. Through collaboration with TU Berlin and a strong emphasis on green chemistry, BIOWEG is paving the way for a more sustainable future in Europe’s materials industry.