Dutch scale-up Lgem secures investment from Navus Ventures to accelerate expansion of its innovative two-phase algae technology and AlgaeHUB.
Lgem, a leader in algae photobioreactor technology with over 17 years of relevant autotrophic algae experience, sealed funding by Navus Ventures for further expansion. The funding from Navus Ventures will allow Lgem to keep investing in its AlgaeHUB de-risking facility, international sales of production systems and continued research and development. The company will execute on a substantial pipeline and maintain its leading position in technology related to efficient micro-algae production. Navus Ventures is part of a family office linked to Lely (farming innovators), and intends to actively support Lgem, leveraging a strong track record of developing and scaling high-tech hardware and software.
“We see great potential in micro algae as a driver of more sustainable food production and Lgem is providing a key enabling technology that allows others in the industry to move from research to business. Lgem is a perfect fit with our strategy and background and we are looking forward to our active collaboration”.
Eduard Meijer, Managing Director at Navus Ventures
“We are thrilled to partner with Navus Ventures as a shareholder, which will not only allow us to learn from Lely’s past experiences but also enhance our industrial and supply chain capabilities. This collaboration will ultimately lead to better strategic and R&D decisions and better products and services for our clients”.
Bas Swildens, CEO at Lgem
Lgem, a Dutch scale-up, responds to the increased demand for reliable and scalable algae technology in the booming microalgae industry. Through its innovative two-phase flow principle, Lgem has achieved successful and sustainable industrial-scale production, offering genuine de-risking services for the nascent microalgae industry. Lgem’s range of photobioreactors, from 20 to 1,000,000 liters, have optimised growth and minimal contamination in years of uninterrupted production at commercially relevant scale, a unique achievement in the industry (read more about it in this article). The AlgaeHUB, Lgem’s platform, aims to bridge the gap between supply and demand of algae products, diminishing the investment risks of the emerging biotech industry. As a result, Lgem offers high-quality and industrial-scale photosynthetic production of a broad range of microalgae and its derived ingredients and products.
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About Lgem
Lgem is a Dutch biotech scale-up with more than 17 years’ experience, specialises in the development and production of photobioreactors (PBRs) for the cultivation of microalgae. Lgem’s iconic two-phase PBR solutions offer increased productivity (up to 70%) and deliver stable algae production at lower operational costs (up to 80%). The high-quality patented Lgem’s systems are Industry 4.0 ready and can be easily integrated into a completely automated production facility with upstream and downstream unit operations. The systems range from 20 to over 1,000,000 litres (check the complete range here) , and have the ability to produce any type of microalgae species, even the most fragile ones.
To reduce investment risk for clients, Lgem has created the AlgaeHUB. This unique facility (>20FTE, 7,000m2, with 18 production units) offers customers the possibility to optimise and validate their business case on industrial scale before making significant investments.
Scalable systems and genuine de-risking services have been the missing link in the nascent micro-algae industry. Lgem has demonstrated that industrial-scale production of algae can be achieved successfully and sustainably.
About Navus Ventures
Navus Ventures B.V. (“Navus Ventures”) is a venture capital firm, part of a family office linked to Lely (Farming Innovators), aimed at high-tech start-ups and scale-ups driving the ongoing sustainable transitions in food and energy. Navus is not subject to entry or exit pressure, invests both in typical VC setup as well as for longer holding periods, and draws from the knowledge and network of the Lely family business, with a longstanding history in high-tech product development and successful market entry of innovations. Our approach is hands-on and pragmatic, acting quickly and supporting management on strategic and operational matters.
