Novonesis has partnered with the Technical University of Denmark’s Bright Biofoundry to develop protein made from captured carbon dioxide, with the aim of scaling production for use in food.
The collaboration sits within the Acetate Consortium, a multi-partner initiative launched in 2023 and backed by the Gates Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The consortium also includes companies such as energy technology group Topsoe.
The project focuses on converting captured CO₂ into acetate, which can then be used as a feedstock for microbial fermentation to produce protein. This approach is being explored as an alternative to conventional methods that rely on agricultural crops such as glucose.
A key challenge is enabling microorganisms to efficiently use acetate. As part of the partnership, researchers will work to develop yeast strains that can tolerate and consume acetate more effectively, improving protein yields and reducing production time.
The work will be carried out using Bright Biofoundry’s automated platform, which allows rapid testing and optimisation of microbial strains.
Novonesis is contributing its experience in microbial strain development, while the Technical University of Denmark is providing expertise in microbial evolution and systems biology.
The collaboration forms part of wider efforts to develop new protein sources that reduce reliance on traditional agriculture and lower the environmental impact of food production.
