ARBIOM

Their core work

ARBIOM is a French biotech SME that converts wood and other lignocellulosic biomass into single-cell protein for animal feed, primarily targeting aquaculture. Their core technology combines enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation — breaking wood down into 2G sugars, then turning those sugars into high-protein microbial biomass that can replace fishmeal in salmon and trout diets. They operate at demonstration-plant scale, meaning they have moved beyond lab proof-of-concept and are validating industrial-scale production. Their value proposition: unlock Europe's underused forest resources to solve the protein gap in sustainable aquaculture.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2017 ARBIOM's H2020 activity was tightly focused on one technology line: wood → enzymatic hydrolysis → single-cell protein → fish feed, demonstrated through their coordinator role in SYLFEED. By 2019 their footprint widened into the broader alternative-protein conversation via NextGenProteins, bringing in microalgae, insects, consumer acceptance, and multi-stream value chains. The trajectory looks like a classic scale-out: from proving one feedstock-to-protein route to embedding themselves in Europe's wider alternative-protein ecosystem.

Heading toward industrial validation of forest-biomass SCP while plugging into the wider European alternative-protein ecosystem — a good partner for anyone building feed supply chains or circular bioeconomy consortia.

How they like to work

ARBIOM punches above its weight: with only two H2020 projects on record, they took the coordinator seat on the larger one (SYLFEED, EUR 2.4M Innovation Action), showing they can carry consortium leadership and not just contribute a module. In NextGenProteins they shift to specialist participant, delivering their protein-conversion expertise inside a consortium led by others. The pattern suggests a technology-led SME that leads when the project is close to their core IP and joins as a domain expert when it isn't.

Across the two projects they have built connections with 31 unique partners in 12 countries, giving them a genuine pan-European working network despite their small size. The collaboration pattern spans forestry, biotech, feed, and aquaculture players rather than being concentrated in one country cluster.

What sets them apart

Most alternative-protein players in H2020 focus on insects, algae, or plant proteins — ARBIOM is one of the few European SMEs pursuing wood/lignocellulose as a protein feedstock, a structurally different bet. They have already demonstrated coordinator capability on an Innovation Action at demonstration-plant scale, meaning they are past the lab stage. For a partner hunting for industrial-ready SCP technology with real forestry-to-aquaculture integration, ARBIOM is a rare profile.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SYLFEED
  Their flagship coordinator project — EUR 2.4M Innovation Action taking wood-derived single-cell protein to demonstration-plant scale for fish feed.
• NextGenProteins
  Places ARBIOM inside Europe's broader alternative-protein agenda alongside insect and microalgae producers, expanding their reach beyond wood-only protein.