MICROPHYT

Their core work

MICROPHYT is a French biotech SME specializing in microalgae cultivation and extraction of high-value bioactive compounds. They design and operate proprietary photobioreactor systems (including tubular systems) to produce microalgae-derived ingredients for food, feed, cosmetics, and food supplements. The company has progressed from developing a single slimming ingredient to leading large-scale biorefinery projects that extract multiple valuable compounds from microalgae biomass.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

MICROPHYT started with a narrow, product-specific focus — developing a single microalgae-based slimming ingredient through the SME Instrument (2015-2019). From 2017 onward, they broadened significantly into fundamental blue biotechnology (GHaNA, exploring diatom biodiversity and natural pigments) and multi-product biorefinery approaches (ABACUS). By 2021, their flagship SCALE project shows a mature company coordinating a large consortium to industrialize multiple bioactive compounds across food, feed, and cosmetics — a clear shift from single-product startup to platform technology provider.

MICROPHYT is scaling from niche ingredient development toward becoming a platform supplier of diverse algae-derived bioactives for food, feed, and cosmetics markets.

How they like to work

MICROPHYT predominantly leads projects — coordinating 3 out of 5, including their largest (SCALE at €11.3M). Their network of 44 partners across 17 countries shows they can build and manage large international consortia. The mix of SME Instrument solo projects and large collaborative actions (BBI-RIA, IA) suggests a company comfortable both driving its own product development and orchestrating complex multi-partner supply chains.

MICROPHYT has built a broad European network of 44 unique partners across 17 countries, indicating deep connections across the algae biotech, food, and marine research ecosystem. Their network reach is notably wide for an SME, reflecting their role as a consortium coordinator.

What sets them apart

MICROPHYT stands out as one of the few European SMEs that both develops proprietary photobioreactor technology AND produces the end-product bioactive ingredients — they control the full chain from cultivation to extraction. Their trajectory from SME Instrument Phase 1 to coordinating an €11M Innovation Action demonstrates a rare growth path that validates both their technology and their ability to manage industrial-scale projects. For consortium builders, they offer a production-ready industrial partner, not just a research lab.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SCALE
  Their largest project (€11.3M, coordinator) — an ambitious effort to industrialize multiple algae-derived bioactives across food, feed, cosmetics, and supplements, signaling commercial maturity.
• SMILE
  Demonstrates full SME Instrument lifecycle: Phase 1 feasibility (2015) followed by Phase 2 scale-up (2016-2019) for a microalgae slimming and memory-boosting extract.
• GHaNA
  MSCA-RISE research mobility project exploring the diatom genus Haslea — shows MICROPHYT's connection to fundamental marine biology research alongside their commercial work.