BRIGHT and LanzaTech Partner to Advance Carbon-to-Value Biotechnology in Europe
BRIGHT and LanzaTech have announced a new multi-year partnership aimed at accelerating the development of carbon-to-value biotechnology in Europe. Running through April 2028, the collaboration will establish a next-generation C1 biofoundry at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), creating advanced infrastructure to convert industrial carbon emissions into valuable fuels, chemicals and materials through gas fermentation technologies.
The partnership combines BRIGHT’s research infrastructure and regional innovation network with LanzaTech’s expertise in synthetic biology and gas fermentation. The biofoundry will focus on engineering specialized microbes capable of transforming CO₂, carbon monoxide and methane into commercially viable products — an emerging pathway seen as critical to industrial decarbonization and the development of a circular bioeconomy.
According to the partners, the facility will integrate advanced automation, robotics, AI-driven design tools and high-throughput strain development capabilities to accelerate microbial engineering. The platform is expected to significantly shorten strain development cycles, reduce innovation risks and enable more precise research on non-model anaerobic organisms that require specialized gas-handling systems.
Christine Nellemann, Provost at Technical University of Denmark, said the collaboration reinforces DTU’s ambition to translate research into commercial climate solutions, while positioning Denmark and Europe as leaders in carbon-to-value biotechnology. Luuk van der Wielen, Director of BRIGHT, added that the partnership will strengthen Denmark’s capabilities in transforming carbon emissions into high-value products with tangible sustainability impact.
For LanzaTech, the agreement marks a strategic step in expanding its biotechnology platform while supporting commercialization efforts in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biorefining. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, said the partnership enables the company to consolidate its biotechnology expertise while advancing scalable low-carbon industrial solutions.
Under the agreement, LanzaTech will provide tailored workflows, biofoundry methods and non-exclusive licensing for relevant intellectual property, while designing and installing the customized C1 biofoundry at DTU. The partners said the initiative is expected to create a shared innovation platform for researchers and industry stakeholders across Europe, helping accelerate the deployment of circular carbon technologies and competitive bio-based manufacturing.
