Berlin-based nanotechnology startup Level Nine announced that it has raised €4 million (USD$4.6 million) in a seed funding round to support the scale-up of its catalyst technology enabling the production of industrial chemicals from bio-based materials, instead of fossil fuels.

Founded by Seadna Quigley and Dr. Emily Sheridan in 2023, Level Nine develops nanozyme-based catalysts designed to convert biomass and waste into alternatives to fossil-based feedstocks. Level Nine is building an AI-driven catalyst discovery platform, that can identify and optimize new catalytic systems, enabling high-yield conversion of complex biomass into drop-in chemical building blocks, substantially lower energy requirements compared with conventional processes, and compatibility with existing chemical manufacturing infrastructure.

According to the company, while biobased feedstocks such as agricultural residues and industrial byproducts are abundant, its technology provides the capability to convert the materials efficiently and affordably at industrial scale.

The company said the new funding will be used to advance its catalyst platform and support the development of industrial-scale systems, including a planned kilotonne-scale first-of-a-kind (FOAK) demonstration plant.

Level Nine said:

“With our first product, we’ve developed a crucial building block for the €100 billion global polyurethane (PU) market, a critical material used in the automotive, insulation, furniture, and consumer goods sectors. With this fresh funding, we’re preparing the construction of our kilotonne-scale FOAK demo plant and first off-takes from customers.”

The funding round was led by Visionaries Tomorrow, alongside existing investors Zero Carbon and Rockstart, with additional participation from IBB Ventures and better ventures.

Visionaries Tomorrow said:

“Starting with the €100 billion polyurethane market, Level Nine’s technology opens a path toward producing high-performance chemicals from locally available raw materials, strengthening Europe’s industrial resilience and feedstock sovereignty.”