ÄIO

ÄIO is heading to COP30 in Brazil! 🔴 We're proud to be part of the official Estonian business delegation attending the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, right in the heart of the Amazon (11.-14. November)! Why does this matter? Because the world needs scalable, science-based, and climate-smart solutions. And that's exactly what we do. At ÄIO, we turn low-value organic side-streams into next-gen sustainable oils and fats that are alternatives to palm, coconut, and animal fats for cosmetics, food, and household products. ÄIO's co-founder and CEO Nemailla Bonturi represents us. She is a Brazilian scientist working in Estonia and one of the few female founder leading a deep-tech fermentation company in Europe. If you are: - looking to collaborate on sustainable ingredients (oils and fats for food and cosmetics)? - curious about deep-tech climate solutions (circular economy, turning side streams into premium ingredients)? - interested in our Seed A investment round (Q3 2026)? Reach out! Let's meet, talk innovation and partnerships in Belém and build the future together. Read more: ÄIO blog post: https://lnkd.in/gp68_WuY UN Climate Change Estonia at COP30

What happens when a top chef and a novel ingredient meet in ÄIO's lab kitchen? 🔴 Pure innovation! In addition to developing microbial fats and oils through fermentation, we're testing how they perform in real food. Something gets replaced and something new is created. Bakery. Sauces. Dairy and meat alternatives. Snacks. In our lab kitchen, chef Hiroaki Takeda and product developer Kristina Joarand are putting our Encapsulated Oil and RedOil through real-world applications. It's a flavour-meets-function journey, where performance, taste, and texture all matter. As Hiro puts it: "Working with food in a completely different context than restaurants brings about new and different creative challenges. At ÄIO, it's not just about flavour, it's about diving deep into the nuts and bolts of how ingredients function together." Behind the scenes, our Product Innovation team, led by CIO Mary-Liis Kütt, connects science, taste, and storytelling to drive forward our novel food dossier and application-ready ingredients. Read more from our blog! Interested in testing with us? Looking to invest in the future of sustainable fats and oils? Let’s talk. We're preparing for Seed A in Q3 2026 and open for collaboration.

We'd love your vote for ÄIO! 🔴 The future of food is being decided! ÄIO has been shortlisted among the world’s most exciting innovators for Protein Production Technology International's “26 Food-Techs to Watch in 2026.” How to vote (for ÄIO): - click the link https://lnkd.in/ghfcMdg8 - for your #1 pick… it's easy, just take the first one on the list 😉 ÄIO! - then select up to 9 more companies So, why should you vote for ÄIO? - because the future of fats doesn't have to cost the planet. - because sustainability can taste good. - because we’re proving that deep tech and yeast can make a difference, one drop at a time. Voting closes 12 November 2025, every single vote helps us shine a light on smart, sustainable innovation made in Estonia!

We're live at TechCrunch Disrupt for three days now! 🔴 We just pitched ÄIO on the Sustainability Stage, and we're ready to keep the momentum going! Look for the ÄIOred tablecloth, booth N25! Come say hi to our team: Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, Kristi Lember & Martin Mets are here to share how we're transforming side-streams into sustainable fats and oils for food, cosmetics, and more. Whether you're an investor, a brand, or just curious about the future of fats, let's talk! Michael J Schick Isabelle Johannessen #StartupBattlefield200 #TechCrunchDisrupt2025

Inside ÄIO's pilot plant: where people and technology shape the future of fats! 🔴 Producing future-shaping fats and oils takes more than great science. It takes the right tools, the right team, and the belief that change is possible. From lab bench to market readiness, at ÄIO, we are building the future of fats with full control over our lab and scale-up processes led by Head of pilot Plant, Mateus Ribeiro da Silva. Since Q2 2024, our food-grade pilot plant has been running batches using diverse side streams, proving our tech works not just in theory, but in practice. We're equipped to handle every step from fermentation to fat recovery in-house. Our machinery includes:  - 300L bioreactor  - Multiple centrifuge types (disc-stack + tubular)  - Spray dryer  - High-pressure homogenizer  - Filter reactor + Nutsche filter Curious about how we turn low-value biomass into high-value ingredients? Read more from our blog article!

Hello, San Francisco! Team ÄIO at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 from 27.-29.10 and we're thrilled to be part of the Startup Battlefield 200, spotlighting the world's most ambitious early-stage startups. - Catch us pitching on Monday, 27.10 at 9:30AM on the Sustainability stage. - Visit us at Booth N25 to learn more, taste innovation, and talk collaboration. Meet: - Co-founder & CTO Petri-Jaan Lahtvee - Global Business Developer Kristi Lember - CFO Martin Mets Whether you’re an investor, a brand, or a fellow visionary, we’re here to connect. Let’s shape the future of ingredients together. We're on a mission to revolutionize fats and oils through precision fermentation, turning local side-streams into sustainable, traceable, and high-performing ingredients for food, cosmetics, and beyond. #TechCrunchDisrupt  #StartupBattlefield200 Michael J Schick Isabelle Johannessen

This is ÄIO. Intense, inspiring, down to earth, and very human. 🔴 We're keeping the science running and the world curious. Here's what's up these weeks. Around the world: - Kristi and Magdalena had great meetings through the Innovation Challenge at COSMETIC 360 in Paris - Magdalena pitching at L’Oréal Sustainable Innovation Accelerator today - Kristi presenting ÄIO at the EIT Alumni CONNECT event in Brussels, after securing 2nd place at the HEIPowered Startup Pitch Competition - Nemailla is soon heading to Brazil with the Estonian delegation to COP30 Brazil - Petri-Jaan, Martin, and Kristi are flying to TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, pitching ÄIO at #StartupBattlefield 200, meeting future investors and partners. - Robert will represent us at the Benchling event in London - Kristi is preparing to pitch on the main stage at Web Summit in Lisbon, after winning the national competition - Tommaso joined the Residency of Young Scientific Talents in Paris, supported by Universcience and the the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs - Hiroaki is about to become a documentary star! "Noa Teral – Hiroaki" premieres on October 26, sharing his story, culinary vision, and how he's shaping the Estonian food scene Back in the lab and pilot plant: While some of us are taking stage time, others are running the important show behind the scenes. Pilot plant prep, new tests & samples, data analysis, novel food and cosmetics permits, and everyday decisions for next steps. We on-boarded our 26th team member, welcomed many visitors (also Mustamäe Riigigümnaasium!), created new marketing materials (look out for them at events, something packed also for you, Michael J Schick!), and yes, navigated difficult conversations and tough decisions. Glamour and reality hand in hand at ÄIO - doing science, cleaning and maintaining equipment, pitching and speaking globally. Onwards. See you out there!

Bonjour, innovation! In the city of beauty, we bring the science. 🔴 Join us at COSMETIC 360 in Paris, where ÄIO showcases the future of fats: sustainable, microbial, and made for tomorrow's cosmetics. From side-streams to smart formulations, we're rethinking what ingredients can be. Meet the team: Magdalena Koziol, Head of Cosmetics Development Kristi Lember, Global Business Developer We're also proud to be selected for the Innovation Challenge, spotlighting bold solutions shaping the future of sustainable beauty. Where: Carrousel du Louvre, Paris When: 16. - 17. October 2025 What: Discover our next-gen oils: clean, functional, and planet-friendly. Let's co-create what's next in beauty. One drop of smart oil at a time. See you in Paris!

From sawdust to stardust - we're in TechCrunch! 🔴 ÄIO is proud to be featured on TechCrunch with an interview. Our co-founders Nemailla Bonturi and Petri-Jaan Lahtvee shared to journalist Julie Bort, how we turn agricultural side-streams like sawdust into edible fats for food and cosmetics. Huge thanks for spotlighting our mission to make the fat industry more sustainable! We are one of the #StartupBattlefield companies, so see in San Francisco you at #TechCrunchDisrupt2025! ÄIO is pitching at the Sustainability Stage on Monday, October 27 at 08:30am. Don't miss us! Come visit our booth N25 and meet the ÄIO team (co-founder Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, Global Business Developer Kristi Lember, Chief Financial Officer Martin Mets), all on the spot to connect with future investors and partners. We're happy, excited, and ready to share the future of fat. Let's talk! https://lnkd.in/gFuyUQQb Michael J Schick and Isabelle Johannessen - thank you so much for all the support from TechCrunch Startup Battlefield side! 💚

Welcome to the secret language of cosmetics: INCI names! 🔴 ÄIO's three microbial oils are now recognised with official INCI names. A significant milestone that enables us to bring fermentation-based alternatives into cosmetics and personal care markets worldwide. Red Oil = Rhodotorula Oil Encapsulated oil = Rhodotorula Ferment ZymaLipid Complex = Linoleic/Oleic/Palmitic Acid They might sound like magic spells, but think of them as the "passport names" of cosmetic ingredients. For example: Coconut oil = Cocos Nucifera Oil 🥥 Olive oil = Olea Europaea Fruit Oil 🫒 Grape seed oil = Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil 🍇 So, what's the deal with INCI? - it's a standardised naming system developed by the International Nomenclature Committee and published by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) - it ensures ingredient lists are consistent and transparent across the globe - it helps formulators, consumers, regulators, and yes, innovators, all speak the same language Why it matters:  - formulators know exactly what they're sourcing  - consumers can spot allergens or confirm vegan claims - regulators can check safety and compliance - innovators can introduce novel, sustainable ingredients worldwide INCI might sound too technical and irrelevant, but in reality, it's the bridge between scientific innovation and the creams, balms, and serums you use every day. Meet our Head of Cosmetics Development, Magdalena Koziol and Global Business Developer, Kristi Lember at the global showcase for innovation in the fragrance and cosmetics industry, COSMETIC 360, on 15&16 October in Paris at Carrousel du Louvre! Let's meet and talk!