13-04-2026
Turning waste into value: Bootcamp winners BioFire and Akin to join Planet B.io
Industrial waste streams are often seen as an unavoidable byproduct of modern life. From wastewater sludge to end-of-life tires. But for the winners of the Industrial Biotech Bootcamp 2025, these waste streams represent something else entirely: opportunity.
Meet BioFire and Akin: two emerging biotech startups that are turning complex waste challenges into scalable, high-value solutions. Following their success in the Bootcamp, both companies are now taking the next step by joining the ecosystem of Planet B.io on the Biotech Campus Delft.
From waste to resource: two technologies, one vision
Although they operate in very different industries, both startups share a clear mission: transforming waste into valuable, sustainable materials.
BioFire, co-founded by Ali Elahinik, focuses on valorising wastewater sludge. A byproduct that is currently incinerated in the Netherlands at a high disposal cost, leading to CO₂ emissions and lost value. By extracting naturally occurring polymers produced by bacteria in the sludge, BioFire upcycles this waste into a biobased flame-retardant. “These polymers are already present in nature,” Ali explains. “Microorganisms produce them to form biofilms. We simply extract and refine them into a usable material.”
Natural fibre composites are attractive for construction, but their high flammability limits adoption. BioFire addresses this bottleneck by helping composite manufacturers move away from fossil-based or toxic alternatives while achieving the fire class needed for entering the construction market.
Akin, led by Ieva Palubeckaitė, tackles another major global waste stream: end-of-life tires. Today, most tires are either incinerated, downcycled, or processed into low-value applications. Akin is changing that through an enzymatic biorefinery platform. “We enable true circularity of rubber,” Ieva explains. “Our technology allows us to break down and separate rubber into its original components, so they can be reused as high-quality, drop-in replacements for virgin materials.”
By combining enzymatic degradation with separation technologies, Akin aims to recover valuable materials such as natural/synthetic rubber, and carbon black, reducing dependence on fossil resources and geographically concentrated supply chains.
Accelerating through the Industrial Biotech Bootcamp
For both founders, the Industrial Biotech Bootcamp marked a pivotal moment in shaping their companies.
Ali highlights the sector-specific nature of the programme as a key differentiator: “What made it stand out is that it was built by people in industrial biotech, for people in industrial biotech. Every session was directly relevant to our challenges.” For BioFire, the Bootcamp helped sharpen core entrepreneurial skills, particularly storytelling and financial strategy. “You can have a great technology, but if you can’t communicate it clearly or build a solid business case, it won’t go anywhere.”
For Akin, the timing was equally crucial. The company was just beginning to explore its biorefinery concept, and the Bootcamp provided a structured way to develop it. “It came at the perfect moment,” Ieva says. “We had the enzyme, but not yet a full business model. During the programme, we built that from the ground up.”
One key takeaway for Akin was learning to work backwards from the end goal, whether in techno-economic analysis, IP strategy, or investor readiness. “That mindset: starting with where you want to be and working back, was incredibly valuable.”
From lab to market: scaling sustainable solutions
Both startups are now entering a critical phase: translating their technologies into scalable, market-ready solutions.
BioFire is currently working with early industry partners to co-develop its flame-retardant materials tailored to their needs. The goal is to develop and validate our first pre-commercial prototype and secure initial offtake agreements within the coming year, followed by scaling towards a demonstration plant. “We want to show that this works not just in the lab, but in real applications, verified by the end-user” says Ali.
Akin is focusing on validating its enzymatic process at lab scale, with the aim of reaching pilot scale within the next two years. The company is already collaborating with recycling partners to test its technology on real industrial material streams. “Our goal is to integrate into existing recycling infrastructure,” Ieva explains. “We’re building a solution that enhances what’s already there, rather than replacing it entirely.”
Ultimately, both startups are addressing industries under increasing pressure to meet sustainability targets - from construction materials to tire manufacturing - where demand for circular, bio-based solutions is rapidly growing.
Joining Planet B.io: growing within a biotech ecosystem
As they continue to scale, both BioFire and Akin have chosen Planet B.io as their next home base.
For BioFire, the decision was driven by proximity, facilities, and most importantly community. “Innovation happens when like-minded people come together,” says Ali. “At Planet B.io, you have that environment, plus the right support and infrastructure to grow.”
Akin echoes this, highlighting the importance of being embedded in a biotech-focused ecosystem. “We’ve seen the difference,” Ieva explains. “Being surrounded by companies facing similar challenges, scaling biotech solutions, makes a huge impact. The network and shared experience are incredibly valuable.”
Both teams also emphasise the practical advantages: access to lab space, connections to the biotech industry, and opportunities to collaborate with fellow startups.
Looking ahead: a circular future
While their technologies differ, the long-term vision of both companies matches: a future where waste is no longer discarded, but continuously repurposed.
For BioFire, that means scaling globally, tackling sludge management challenges while supplying sustainable materials to industry. For Akin, it means building full-scale biorefineries that can transform tire waste into high-quality raw materials, closing the loop in one of the world’s largest industrial sectors.
Together, BioFire and Akin demonstrate the power of industrial biotechnology. Not only to reduce waste, but to redefine it as a resource.
Curious to learn more about how BioFire and Akin are turning industrial waste streams into high-value, sustainable materials?
Get in touch with the teams to explore collaboration opportunities or learn more about their technologies.
BioFire
info@biofiretech.nl
https://biofiretech.nl/
Akin
info@akin-solutions.com
https://www.akin-solutions.com/