AmphiStar

AmphiStar is a Belgian biotech company specializing in the development and production of sustainable, high-performance microbial biosurfactants. Founded in 2021 as a spin-off from Ghent University and the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, the company is built on over 15 years of deep tech research. The founding team, which includes COO Dr. Sophie Roelants, met at the university and the pilot plant, bringing together expertise in biotechnology, bioprocessing, and synthetic biology. In April 2024, Pierre-Franck Valentin, a leader with over 25 years of experience in the surfactants and chemicals industry, joined as CEO to accelerate the company's industrialization and market traction.

AmphiStar's core business revolves around its proprietary technology platform that upcycles locally sourced bio-based waste and side-streams from the agri-food industry, such as supermarket food waste, into a portfolio of biosurfactants. This process utilizes microbial fermentation and mild processing techniques, similar to brewing beer, to create eco-friendly alternatives to conventional surfactants which are heavily reliant on fossil fuels or palm oil. By using waste as a feedstock, AmphiStar avoids competition with food production and the negative environmental impacts associated with deforestation and land use. A Life Cycle Analysis confirmed that AmphiStar's production process results in a significantly lower global warming potential compared to other surfactants.

The company serves business-to-business clients in various sectors, primarily targeting brand owners in the home care and personal care industries, but also sees applications in agrochemicals, food, feed, and industrial cleaners. Its business model involves producing and selling these biosurfactants as drop-in replacements for existing formulations. In July 2024, AmphiStar launched its first commercial products: AmphiCare® for the personal care market (used in cosmetics, shampoos, and skincare) and AmphiClean® for high-performance cleaning products. One of its first major collaborations was with Ecover, which incorporated AmphiStar's waste-based biosurfactants into a consumer cleaning product. The company's synthetic biology platform also enables the creation of a library of over 80 tailored biosurfactant molecules to meet specific client performance requirements.

AmphiStar has secured significant funding to support its growth. In 2024, the company raised €6 million in a pre-Series A round led by the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF), Qbic III, and Flanders Future Tech Fund (FFTF). This was followed by a €12.5 million blended funding package from the European Innovation Council (EIC) in July 2025, consisting of a €2.5 million grant and a €10 million equity investment. The company plans to use the capital to scale up production, with plans for a 1,000-tonne-per-annum plant, expand its team, and further its R&D efforts. Strategic agreements with Kensing for the North American market and Caldic for the European personal care market are in place to expand its commercial reach.

Keywords: biosurfactants, microbial fermentation, sustainable chemicals, circular economy, waste upcycling, agri-food waste, synthetic biology, green chemistry, home care ingredients, personal care ingredients, sophorolipids, glycolipids, Ecover collaboration, Ghent University spin-off, specialty chemicals, bio-based surfactants, surfactant alternatives, clean technology, industrial biotechnology, sustainable materials