Berlin startup closes €4M to green chemicals
The founders, Seadna Quigley, Emily Sheridan - © Level Nine
Berlin-based deep tech startup Level Nine has closed a €4 million seed round to accelerate its AI-driven approach to industrial chemistry. The round is led by Visionaries Tomorrow, with participation from Zero Carbon Capital, Rockstart, IBB Ventures, and better ventures, according to a report by Startbase.
The company is developing a new class of industrial catalysts designed to convert locally available bio-based raw materials into the chemical building blocks currently derived from fossil fuels. Think of them as enzyme-inspired materials that can actually handle the high temperatures, pressures, and solvents found in real industrial settings, something natural enzymes typically cannot.
Europe's chemical industry generates around €1 trillion in annual revenue, but faces serious headwinds: volatile input costs, high energy prices, and growing competition from Asia and the Middle East. Biomass has long been discussed as an alternative feedstock, but conventional catalysts have struggled to process complex bio-based molecules efficiently enough to make it worthwhile.
Level Nine's machine-learning platform is built to speed up catalyst development and cut the time needed to reach industrial-scale testing. Their first target is the global polyurethane market, estimated at over €100 billion per year, serving sectors from automotive to furniture. The startup has already developed a bio-based aromatic polyol it claims matches the performance of fossil-derived alternatives, including flame-retardant properties, without requiring additional halogenated additives.
Founders Seadna Quigley and Emily Sheridan lead a 14-person Berlin team and are already working with manufacturers and raw material suppliers in the polyurethane space. A first production facility in the kiloton range is in planning. Fresh capital will go toward scaling the catalyst platform and expanding into further product lines.
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