Belgian AmphiStar Raises €12.5 Million Funding For Clean Biosurfactants

The funding includes a €2.5M grant and a €10M equity investment. AmphiStar is among 40 companies selected for their high-impact, market-ready innovations.

AmphiStar CEO Pierre-Franck Valentin said: “This funding reflects the confidence that EIC has in AmphiStar’s ability to transform one of the key chemical markets. With growing consumer pressure on industry to offer less harmful products, the financial support ensures that we will continue to lead the way in replacing environmentally damaging synthetic surfactants with bio-based alternatives that retain functionality and performance while being kind to people and our wider ecosystem.”

Founded in 2021, AmphiStar is creating 100% upcycled microbial biosurfactants as sustainable, high-performance alternatives to traditional surfactants.

Using its platform technology, the company converts bio-based waste and side streams into a versatile range of biosurfactants—completely free from fossil fuels, palm oil, or land-intensive crops.

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AmphiStar combines synthetic biology, microbial fermentation, and gentle processing to deliver eco-friendly solutions that outperform conventional, non-sustainable surfactants.

AmphiStar is reportedly the first to offer commercially available biosurfactants made entirely from biobased waste and side streams. Its synthetic biology platform enables the design of custom molecules tailored to specific performance needs.

By using waste as a feedstock for fermentation, AmphiStar provides a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional surfactants. The process avoids virgin crops like palm oil or sugar, which are linked to deforestation, habitat loss and heavy resource use.

AmphiStar COO Sophie Roelants said: “This funding success enables us to take the next steps in AmphiStar’s journey to commercialisation. We now look forward not only to further scaling production of our commercially available products (AmphiCare and AmphiClean), but also to bringing a first novel biosurfactant from our biosurfactant platform technology to market while expanding our range of products beyond our current personal care and home care offerings.”

The new funding adds to the €12 million previously raised by AmphiStar through EU-backed projects like Waste2Func and SurfsUP (CBE-JU), regional grants from VLAIO, and support from Germany’s SPRIN-D and Ghent-based Biotope.

In 2024, the company also closed a pre-Series A round led by ECBF, Qbic, and PMV. A recent Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) confirmed the strong environmental impact of AmphiStar’s biosurfactants, showing they reduce global warming potential by 4x compared to non-upcycled sophorolipids, 6x compared to Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and 9.5x compared to Amine Oxides.

They also use less water and land, with lower impact on human health, ecosystems, and resources. In July 2024, AmphiStar launched its first products—AmphiClean and AmphiCare—for the home and personal care sectors.

This year, it unveiled a library of 80+ biosurfactant molecules for a range of applications. To scale globally, AmphiStar signed a strategic partnership with Kensing in the U.S. and is finalising deals with European partners.

About AmphiStar

Founded in 2021, AmphiStar is making biosurfactants mainstream by transforming waste into high-performance, eco-friendly ingredients. Their sustainable products serve multiple industries, including personal care, home care, and more—offering a cleaner, scalable alternative to traditional surfactants.