About us
Nemailla Bonturi, PhD
Co-founder and CEO
Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, PhD
Co-founder and CTO
Mary-Liis Kütt, PhD
CIO
Martin Mets, BSc
CFO
Kristi Lember, MSc
Global Business Developer
Magdalena Koziol, PhD
Head of Cosmetics Development
Luísa Czamanski Nora, PhD
Head of Strain Engineering
Mateus Ribeiro da Silva, MSc
Head of Pilot Plant
Evelyn Lumi, MSc
Head of Quality Control Department
Hiroaki Takeda
Culinary Development Manager
Alo Jürgenstein, BSc
Operations Lead
Mariane Barrier, MSc
Head of Commercial
You!
Fresh addition to our team
Our values
Food technologies to save our biodiversity.
As WFF stated (Living Planet Report (2022), our current food production has resulted in 70% loss of biodiversity on land and 50% loss of biodiversity in fresh waters. We are at a tipping point with overpopulation, overproduction, and exploitation of various natural resources.
Since 2022, ÄIO is on a mission to develop sustainable alternatives to animal fats, palm, and coconut oil. By introducing environmentally friendly microbial lipid products to the market, we aim to evoke a turn of mind towards more responsible production and consumption. Our biotechnology solution utilizes proprietary yeast, which converts various side streams into value-added ingredients rich in lipids, proteins, antioxidants, and pigments.
We deliver tailored solutions for the oleochemical industry valued in 2027 over 36 billion USD. Our solution mitigates 160 kT of CO2 per year in comparison to the palm oil industry, which is projected to have a market value of 98 billion USD by 2030. To produce microbial lipids, we utilize industrial side streams and up-cycle by-products. It is a true example of a circular economy to both maximize value and use. Through its innovative technologies, ÄIO supports the transition to better plant-based alternatives.
OUR SUPPORTERS
Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (former Enterprise Estonia, EAS) supports äio tech OÜ during Applied Research Programme with a grant of 1 065 304,65 euros. The project RE.5.04.25- 0771 “„Research and development of microbial fermentation-derived lipids and
their derivatives for use in cosmetic ingredients and platform chemicals.” The project aims to develop and study microbial lipids and their derivatives for use as cosmetic ingredients, including the evaluation of various oil extraction methods (such as solvent extraction, supercritical CO₂, and enzymatic extraction), their fractionation and purification, and the development of a scalable production process.
Project duration: 30.06.2025 – 29.06.2028
Environmental Investment Centre supported äio tech OÜ through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
The project “Biotechnological pilot production of specialty fats” aims to adapt the pilot-scale fat production platform created in the DigiFoundry project for the production of specialty fats, upgrading the technology from TRL4 to TRL6.
Project duration: 01.11.2024 – 28.02.2026
Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (former Enterprise Estonia, EAS) supported äio tech OÜ during Applied Research Programme with a grant of 150 000 euros. The project RE.5.04.22-0124 “SmartFerm – sustainably produced healthy food” aim was to valorise local industrial side-streams into value added speciality lipids.
Project duration: 01.11.2022 – 31.10.2023
Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (former Enterprise Estonia, EAS) supports äio tech OÜ with a business development grant of 50 000 eur. The project RE.5.04.23-0385 “Acquiring novel food permit in Singapore” is about mapping the landscape for submitting a novel food permit application in Singapore. „Projekti rahastatakse riigieelarvest teadus- ja arendustegevuse rahastamise vahenditest“;
Project duration: 8.11.23 – 7.11.24.
In collaboration with AS Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies (TFTAK), Estonian Business and Innovation Agency supports äio tech OÜ with a grant of 1 445 296,54 euros. The project RE.5.04.23-0218 “DigiFoundry – an automated platform for the development of precision fermentation processes” aims to build a semi-automated platform for the design of novel microbes to up-cycle various local by-products into high-value food components.
Project duration: 01.05.2023 – 30.04.2026
ÄIO is worked together with Accelerate Estonia, Estonia’s national innovation lab, to accelerate novel food approval and turn Estonia into an innovation hub for the novel food sector. ÄIO and Gelatex in partnership with Accelerate Estonia were working to enable our food systems to evolve, so that innovators across the world would have Estonia, renowned for its digital prowess, to help them with receiving the required novel food approvals in the EU.
LOCATION
Our Office
Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia