Paris-based biotechnology company baCta announced it has raised €7 million in seed funding to advance its approach to producing industrial ingredients using engineered microorganisms. The round was led by LocalGlobe and Daphni, with participation from OVNI Capital and several business angels including founders of Phagos, Genomines, and MistralAI.
The company plans to use the capital to scale production of its first target molecule, astaxanthin, and to further develop baCtaForge, its AI-powered bioproduction platform. The platform combines a precision biofoundry with a genome-to-factory artificial intelligence model designed to accelerate the development of industrial microbial strains.
Demand for industrial ingredients continues to grow globally, but current production methods often rely on limited natural extraction or petrochemical synthesis, which can be expensive and vulnerable to environmental and geopolitical disruptions. baCta aims to address these challenges through bioproduction, using microorganisms as programmable molecular factories capable of synthesizing complex organic compounds.
The company’s baCtaForge platform integrates synthetic biology, robotics, and generative AI to explore complex genomic interactions and regulatory pathways typically overlooked by traditional strain engineering. By applying bio-based reinforcement learning, the platform is designed to significantly reduce the time and cost required to develop high-yield industrial strains.
baCta’s first commercial focus is astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant widely used across health, nutrition, cosmetics, and animal feed industries. The global market for astaxanthin exceeds €1 billion, with most supply currently dominated by petrochemical-based synthetic versions or costly extraction from microalgae.
Using its proprietary engineered yeast strain, baCta aims to produce a version of astaxanthin that can serve as a direct replacement in existing applications while combining the quality of naturally derived products with the cost competitiveness of synthetic alternatives.
The company expects to achieve positive unit economics for its astaxanthin production in 2026. The new funding will also support pilot and commercial-scale validation of its production process through a strategic partnership with a French industrial partner that provides access to manufacturing facilities. baCta plans to begin commercialization as it advances toward industrial-scale production by 2027.
Looking beyond astaxanthin, baCta intends to expand its platform to produce additional high-value molecules using microbial fermentation. The company’s broader mission is to transform industrial manufacturing by replacing extraction-based and petrochemical supply chains with scalable biological production systems.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are entering a new era where microorganisms can be used as programmable molecular factories to synthesize organic molecules profitably at commercial scale. This investment allows us to reach industrial scale for our first ingredient, and demonstrate the value of our unique AI-driven approach, proving that we can make the supply of industrial ingredients both resilient and abundant.”
Mathieu Nohet, Founder And CEO Of baCta
“baCta represents the convergence of deep biological data and Generative AI, Mathieu and his team have built an engine that doesn’t just promise scientific breakthroughs but delivers industrial viability. We are excited to support them in building a generational company in the bio-economy.”
Remus Brett, Partner At LocalGlobe
“The transition away from petrochemicals is one of the most critical challenges of our time, baCta’s platform approach offers a scalable, economically viable path to replace dirty supply chains with biological factories. Their vision for 2035 aligns perfectly with our thesis on sustainable industrial transformation.”
Pierre-Yves Meerschman, Partner At Daphni
