Solar Foods
EMEA
Lappeenranta
,
Finland
Scaleup
FOUNDED
2017
HEADCOUNT
21-100
FUNDING
Public
Keywords:
gas_fermentation, bacteria, CO2_utilization, single_cell_protein, food_protein, alternative_proteins
BUSINESS
Founded in 2017 in Finland, spun out of VTT Technical Research Centre and LUT University. Solar Foods produces Solein, a single-cell protein made via gas fermentation using a hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium fed on CO2, hydrogen (from water electrolysis), and mineral nutrients. Factory 01 in Vantaa began operations in April 2024 and reached its design capacity of 160 tonnes/year by October 2025. Factory 02 in Lappeenranta is in design phase with phased capacity targets up to 12,800 tonnes/year; final investment decision expected in 2026.
BIOTECH INVOLVEMENT
Biotech is central to the business. Solar Foods uses a non-GMO hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium (Xanthobacter sp.) in gas fermentation bioreactors. The resulting biomass is 78% protein with all essential amino acids. The core competency is gas fermentation process engineering and electrolyzer integration
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
gas fermentation; microbial protein production
PRIMARY PRODUCTS
Solein single-cell protein