PROMICON · Project

Microbial Teams That Produce Bioplastics, Green Chemicals, and Hydrogen

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Imagine a factory floor where instead of machines, tiny microbes work together in teams — some harvest raw materials, others convert them, and others keep everything stable. PROMICON figured out how to build and control these microbial teams so they reliably produce useful stuff: biodegradable plastics, hydrogen fuel, industrial chemicals, even antimicrobial coatings. The trick was using machine learning and cell sorting to understand which microbes play which role, then assembling custom teams for each product. They proved it works in a new type of membrane reactor that keeps the different microbial crews in their lanes.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries represented

industry partners in consortium

SMEs in consortium

45%

industry ratio in consortium

total project deliverables

target bio-products (PHA, PHACOS, butanol, H2, pigments, EPS)

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies producing plastics, chemicals, and industrial ingredients face rising costs from petroleum-based feedstocks and mounting regulatory pressure to switch to bio-based alternatives. Current biotechnology mostly relies on single-organism fermentation, which limits what can be produced and often fails when scaling complex biochemical pathways. There is no reliable way to harness the full production power of microbial communities the way nature does.

The solution

What was built

PROMICON delivered 29 project outputs including a proof-of-concept dual chamber membrane reactor for producing PHACOS (antimicrobial bioplastic). The project built machine learning tools for microbial community design, cell sorting methods to identify productive strains, synthetic microbial consortia for producing six target products (PHA, PHACOS, butanol, hydrogen, pigments, EPS), and early-stage life cycle assessments to prepare commercial exploitation.

Audience

Who needs this

Bioplastics manufacturers seeking biodegradable PHA alternatives to petroleum plasticsChemical companies looking for bio-based butanol and drop-in feedstock productionBiohydrogen producers developing green energy carriersNatural ingredients suppliers needing pigments and polysaccharides for food or cosmeticsBiotech firms wanting to move from monoculture to mixed-culture fermentation

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Bioplastics & Packaging

mid-size

Target: Bioplastics manufacturer or packaging company looking for bio-based alternatives to petroleum plastics

If you are a packaging manufacturer struggling with rising petrochemical costs and tightening regulations on single-use plastics — this project developed microbial production systems for PHA (poly-hydroxyalkanoates), a fully biodegradable bioplastic. They proved a dual chamber membrane reactor concept for producing PHACOS, an antimicrobial polyester that could replace conventional plastic films with built-in antimicrobial properties. The consortium includes 5 industry partners across 8 countries who validated production and downstream processing.

Green Chemicals & Biofuels

enterprise

Target: Chemical company or biorefinery seeking bio-based drop-in replacements for fossil-derived feedstocks

If you are a chemical producer looking to decarbonize your feedstock supply — PROMICON built synthetic microbial consortia that produce butanol and hydrogen as energy carriers, plus drop-in chemical feedstocks from biological processes. Their iterative design-build-test-learn cycle with machine learning means these bio-production pathways can be optimized for your specific output targets. Early-stage life cycle assessment was conducted to prepare exploitation routes.

Cosmetics & Food Ingredients

SME

Target: Ingredients company seeking natural pigments or bio-based polysaccharides for food, cosmetics, or pharmaceutical use

If you are an ingredients supplier facing growing demand for natural colorants and bio-based thickeners — this project optimized microbial production of phycobiliprotein-based pigments and exo-polysaccharides (EPS). These are high-value compounds currently expensive to extract from natural sources. PROMICON reduced the complexity of natural microbiomes to create more predictable, optimized production systems with 11 consortium partners contributing expertise from microbiology to downstream processing.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

Specific licensing costs are not disclosed in the project data. The consortium includes 4 SMEs and 5 industry partners, which suggests commercialization pathways are being explored. Contact the coordinator at Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) in Germany to discuss licensing terms for specific products like PHA, PHACOS, or the reactor technology.

Can this scale to industrial production volumes?

The project demonstrated proof of concept for a dual chamber membrane reactor for PHACOS production. This is at the reactor prototype stage, not yet full industrial scale. PROMICON also developed new reactor concepts and downstream processing specifically to prepare for scale-up exploitation.

Who owns the intellectual property?

IP is distributed across the 11-partner consortium led by Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) in Germany. With 5 industry partners and 4 SMEs in the consortium, commercial licensing arrangements likely exist. Specific IP terms would need to be discussed with the coordinator.

How long before this could be used in my production line?

The project ran from 2021 to 2025 and achieved proof of concept for reactor operation. Based on available project data, the technology would likely need 2-4 more years of pilot scaling before industrial deployment. The early-stage life cycle assessment they conducted is a positive indicator that exploitation planning is underway.

What products can actually be made with this?

The project targeted six specific products: PHA bioplastics, PHACOS (a functionalized antimicrobial polyester), butanol, hydrogen, phycobiliprotein-based pigments, and exo-polysaccharides (EPS). These span packaging, chemicals, energy, food ingredients, and cosmetics markets.

Is there regulatory data for these bio-based products?

The project conducted early-stage life cycle assessment (LCA) to prepare for exploitation, which is a first step toward regulatory readiness. Based on available project data, full regulatory approval files (e.g., for food-contact materials or cosmetic ingredients) would still need to be developed for each specific product and market.

Consortium

Who built it

The PROMICON consortium is well-balanced for a project aiming to move from lab to market. With 11 partners across 8 countries (BG, CH, DE, ES, NL, PT, SE, UK), it has strong geographic diversity. The 45% industry ratio — 5 industry partners including 4 SMEs — is notably high for a Research and Innovation Action, signaling genuine commercial interest rather than purely academic work. The coordinator, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ), is one of Germany's leading environmental research centers, providing credibility and infrastructure. The mix of 4 research institutes and 2 universities alongside the industry partners suggests a pipeline from fundamental microbiology through to applied production and downstream processing. For a business partner looking to adopt these technologies, the SME presence means there are likely agile partners ready to co-develop specific applications.

HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR UMWELTFORSCHUNG GMBH - UFZCoordinator · DE
ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTEparticipant · ES
UPPSALA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYAparticipant · ES
PENSOFT PUBLISHERSparticipant · BG
BIOPOLIS SLparticipant · ES
ISLE UTILITIES LIMITEDparticipant · UK
NOVA ID FCT - ASSOCIACAO PARA A INOVACAO E DESENVOLVIMENTO DA FCTparticipant · PT

How to reach the team

Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ), Germany — a leading environmental research center. Use Google AI Search to find the project coordinator's direct contact.

Order a report on this consortium See HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR UMWELTFORSCHUNG GMBH - UFZ profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing PHA bioplastics, antimicrobial PHACOS, or bio-hydrogen production from PROMICON? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific application.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0