RISE PROCESSUM AB

Their core work

RISE Processum is a Swedish biorefinery research centre based in Örnsköldsvik, specializing in converting forest and agricultural biomass into high-value materials, chemicals, and proteins. They operate pilot and demonstration infrastructure for biomass processing — from lignocellulose hydrolysis to keratin extraction from poultry feathers. Their core work bridges the gap between lab-scale biorefinery concepts and industrial deployment, with particular strength in turning waste streams (wood residues, feathers, pulp and paper waste) into marketable bio-based products. As part of the RISE group (Research Institutes of Sweden), they serve as a scale-up partner for companies and research teams needing access to biorefinery process equipment and expertise.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015-2018), Processum focused on foundational biorefinery topics — keratin extraction from feathers, bioplastics development, and establishing forest bioeconomy research infrastructure. From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward higher-value applications: alternative proteins for food and feed (NextGenProteins), bio-based nanomaterials for packaging (BIOMAC, INN-PRESSME), and scaling feather bioeconomy into agricultural products (UNLOCK). The trajectory shows a clear move from upstream biomass processing toward downstream product development and market-ready applications.

Processum is moving from raw biomass conversion toward consumer-facing bio-based products — packaging nanomaterials and food-grade proteins — making them increasingly relevant for companies in food, packaging, and consumer goods.

How they like to work

Processum operates exclusively as a participant or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, preferring to contribute specialist biorefinery expertise within larger consortia. With 195 unique partners across 30 countries, they are well-connected but do not concentrate on a fixed partner set, suggesting they are sought out for their specific processing capabilities. Their typical role is bringing pilot-scale infrastructure and process know-how to consortia led by universities or larger institutes.

Processum has built a broad European network of 195 unique partners across 30 countries, indicating wide recognition as a biorefinery specialist. Their collaborations span Nordic forestry research clusters, Southern European agro-industry, and pan-European food and materials innovation networks.

What sets them apart

Processum occupies a rare niche as a biorefinery scale-up centre that works across multiple feedstocks — wood, agricultural residues, and animal waste — rather than specialising in just one. Their location in Örnsköldsvik, the heartland of Swedish forestry and bioeconomy, gives them direct access to industrial biomass streams that most research centres only study theoretically. For consortium builders, they offer what few partners can: actual pilot plant infrastructure for testing biorefinery processes at demonstration scale, combined with expertise spanning both forest-based and agri-food waste valorisation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PAPERCHAIN
  Largest single project budget (EUR 1.37M) — focused on creating new market niches from pulp and paper industry waste through circular economy approaches.
• NextGenProteins
  Addresses the protein gap with microalgae, insects, and single-cell proteins for food and feed — a rapidly growing market with strong commercial potential.
• SYLFEED
  Demonstrates a complete wood-to-fish-feed value chain through biorefinery, showcasing Processum's ability to bridge forestry and aquaculture sectors.