In a major win for the European circular economy, Munich-based Twogee Biotech announced on January 29, 2026, that it has successfully raised €2.16 million in seed funding. The investment, led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and Bayern Kapital, is earmarked to scale the startup’s revolutionary platform that converts agricultural and industrial “residual biomass” into sustainable, second-generation (2G) raw materials.
Munich Biotech Startup Turns Waste Into Materials
Founded in 2024 by biotech veterans Frank Wallrapp and Helge Jochens, Twogee Biotech is tackling one of the industrial sector’s biggest hurdles: the reliance on fossil-based feedstocks. Operating out of the Biotechnology Innovation and Start-up Center (IZB) in Martinsried, the company uses an advanced enzyme development platform to upcycle organic waste into high-value building blocks.
The “White Biotech” Revolution
While many sustainability startups focus on energy, Twogee is targeting the chemical and construction industries. By industrializing the conversion of biomass—such as agricultural leftovers or wood residues—the company provides a viable alternative to “first-generation” sugars that currently compete with the global food supply.
Predictive Enzyme Discovery: Twogee’s platform combines enzyme screening and strain engineering to rapidly identify the most efficient way to break down specific types of waste.
Decentralized Production: Unlike traditional chemical models that require massive centralized plants, Twogee plans to license its technology. This allows industrial partners to produce their own enzymes and 2G sugars locally, drastically reducing logistics-related carbon emissions.
Economic Viability: With EU regulations tightening on carbon footprints, Twogee’s model turns a “disposal cost” (waste) into a “revenue stream” (raw materials), a math equation that is highly attractive to legacy industrial firms.
Scaling the Circular Economy
The €2.16 million infusion will be used to expand Twogee’s bioreactor infrastructure and grow its team of process experts. The startup has already completed several paid pilot projects, proving that their “waste-to-worth” transition is ready for industrial scale.
As Germany moves toward a “low-CO₂” value creation model, Twogee Biotech is positioning itself as the bridge between traditional manufacturing and a sustainable, bio-based future.
