Aurora Sterilisation lands €10.8M to green medical device sterilisation
What's the deal? Aurora Sterilisation, a French cleantech company, has secured €10.8M (roughly $12.2M) in funding through the European IPCEI Tech4Cure programme. The money will help it develop and scale an eco-friendly alternative to ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilisation — the dominant method used for single-use medical devices.
Why now? Ethylene oxide is a toxic, carcinogenic gas, and regulators in the EU and US are tightening restrictions on its use. Yet it still accounts for roughly half of all medical device sterilisation worldwide, largely because no viable large-scale alternative has existed.
The IPCEI Tech4Cure programme — an Important Project of Common European Interest — was designed to fund breakthrough health technologies across EU member states. Aurora's selection signals Brussels' intent to back industrial decarbonisation in healthcare supply chains.
What could go wrong? Replacing an entrenched sterilisation method is no small task. Medical device manufacturers must validate any new process against strict regulatory standards, which can take years. If Aurora's technology can't match EtO on cost, throughput, or compatibility with diverse device materials, adoption will be slow regardless of environmental benefits.
The signal: Aurora's cold plasma sterilisation technology sits at the intersection of two powerful regulatory currents: tightening restrictions on toxic industrial chemicals and growing pressure to decarbonise healthcare supply chains. The company's early-growth stage and selection for IPCEI funding suggest Brussels is willing to place strategic bets on pre-scale cleantech firms that address hard-to-abate industrial processes, not just energy and transport.
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