Amoeba, the first 100% natural biocide
Fabrice Plasson, the CEO Amoéba, presented his work as an alternative to the use of chemicals for water treatment at the Cleantech Forum in 2016.
Amoéba uses a microorganism which cleans the water of bacteria. This solution is in line with the new European regulations, and the company is proud of claiming that it is the only biocide in the world that is safe for both humans and nature.
Fabrice Plasson notes that the use of chemicals in wastewater treatment, for over a century, was an endless vicious circle. The more chemicals we use in daily life, the more chemicals we must use in wastewater treatment. Plasson therefore hopes to replace this vicious circle by a more virtuous circle through the use of Amoéba.
The start-up has received support from some big names in industry, such as Sanofi and Dalkia among others, and was first intended for use in industrial cooling.
The initial capital of the company was approximately € 45 million but this figure quickly grew to €170M. This remarkable growth is due to Amoéba receiving 30% of the royalties, in addition to the profit margin made on the production side.
The product is designed to be sold directly not to the large industrial manufacturers but to the companies responsible for water treatment. The waste water treatment market is extremely promising and lucrative because the treatment of wastewater is a growing issue for the entire industrial area.
Fabrice Plasson is convinced that his model can be copied everywhere throughout the world, and he intends to do just that. He estimates that his company, with just one product, has a potential market worth of 21 billion eurosand all this without the need for R & D or change in production methods.
Amoeba really are a shining example for all cleantech companies and start-ups, particularly with regard to their business model which is sure to inspire many other cleantech innovators.
