ÄIO

ÄIO is an Estonia-based company developing microbial oil as a B2B ingredient for food additives through fermentation. The company uses the "Red Bug" microbe, developed and patented by Bonturi, a researcher at Tallinn University of Technology, which converts by-products from the food, agriculture, and wood industries into lipid-rich biomass, which is then used to produce the company's products.

The company provides a range of products including RedOil, a source of beneficial compounds that can replace vegetable, seed, and fish oil in product formulations; Encapsulated Oil, a plant-based alternative suitable for bakery products; and Buttery Fat, an excellent substitute for coconut and other butters, ideal for spreads, creams, and other formulations.

The company claims that its approach could reduce land use by 74%–97% and water consumption by up to 10x compared to current palm oil and animal fat production. As of October 2023, the company was operating on a lab scale, conducting experimental trials. It had plans to begin industrial-scale production by 2026.

Key customers and partnerships

In May 2023, ÄIO partnered with Fibenol, a company that converts residues into lignin and two types of sugars, to convert Fibenol's wood sugars into oils and fatty acids using ÄIO's technology.