Avantium Spins Out Volta Technology into New Company Carbeau
Amsterdam, July 6, 2026 — Avantium N.V., a pioneer in renewable and circular polymer materials, announced the spin-out of its electrochemical platform, previously known as Volta Technology, into a new, independent company named Carbeau, with retrospective effect from 1 April 2026.
A New Chapter in CO₂ Utilization
Carbeau is backed by a strong investor consortium comprising GKT, Invest-NL, Al Baleed Petrochemical (SFZ), and NOM, alongside Avantium. Volta Technology is an electrochemical platform that converts CO₂ into high-performing chemicals using electricity, enabling the use of CO₂ as a raw material rather than a waste stream.
Carbeau has secured a total of €35.2 million in funding, comprising:
- €23.7 million in cash contributions from external investors
- €11.5 million in-kind contribution (non-cash) from Avantium
Following the transaction, Avantium retains a 32.7% shareholding in Carbeau.
Investor Consortium: Strategic and Financial Expertise
| Investor | Role | Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| GKT GmbH (Austria) | Strategic partner | Industrial process technology, scale-up |
| Al Baleed Petrochemical (SFZ) (Oman) | Strategic partner | Petrochemical markets, international business development |
| Invest-NL (Netherlands) | Financial partner | National Promotional Institution, sustainable technology acceleration |
| NOM (Northern Netherlands) | Financial partner | Regional development, industrial ecosystem Northern Netherlands |
Together with Avantium, the consortium is well positioned to support Carbeau’s next phase of growth and scale-up ambitions.
Mission: Making Carbon Work Beautifully
The name Carbeau unites “Carbon” and “Beau” (beautiful), capturing the company’s mission: Making Carbon Work Beautifully. Carbeau shifts the global narrative around CO₂ by transforming it from a critical emission challenge into valuable and sustainable materials.
Carbeau’s technology platform focuses on the electrochemical conversion of CO₂, using electrons — preferably generated from renewable electricity — into valuable chemical building blocks. This approach enables the transformation of CO₂ from a waste emission into a valuable feedstock, supporting the production of high-value, renewable products with limited to negative carbon emissions.
Initial Product Focus
| Product | Application | Key Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Glycolic acid | Personal care market | High-purity, bio-based |
| PLGA (polylactic‑co‑glycolic acid) | Compostable plastics | Strong barrier properties, marine degradability |
These CO₂-based products are designed to be cost-competitive with incumbent fossil-based materials, supporting both climate objectives and broad market adoption.
Strategic Locations
- Headquarters: Amsterdam Science Park — maintaining close ties with Avantium’s broader innovation ecosystem
- Pilot plant development: Delfzijl, Northern Netherlands — strong industrial and Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU) base, aligned with sustainable energy infrastructure
Leadership & Strategic Rationale
Carbeau will be led by an experienced management team with expertise across technology development, scale-up, and commercialization.
Yap Chie Cheung, CEO of Carbeau: “Today marks an important milestone for our team. What started within Avantium as a pioneering technology platform has grown into Carbeau, a company with a clear mission and a bright future ahead. With €35.2 million in funding and the backing of an outstanding consortium of strategic and financial partners, we are in a strong position to accelerate commercialization and scale-up.”
Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium: “We are tremendously proud to see Volta Technology evolve into Carbeau. This spin-out demonstrates Avantium’s ability to develop breakthrough technologies and bring them to a stage where they can attract substantial external investment and pursue their own growth trajectory. We are pleased to remain closely involved as a significant shareholder, retaining a 32.7% stake in Carbeau.”
By spinning out Volta Technology into Carbeau, Avantium enables a sharper strategic focus for both companies: Avantium continues to advance its core activities in renewable polymer materials (YXY® Technology, PEF/releaf®), while Carbeau accelerates the development and industrial deployment of electrochemical CO₂ utilization technologies.
Resources
- Avantium Press Release
- Carbeau Website
- Avantium YXY® Technology Overview
Source: Avantium press release, July 6, 2026