A startup with roots in Denmark and Germany is now using ancient bacteria and Texan emissions to make low-carbon chemicals, thereby offering a novel alternative to fossil-fuel-based manufacturing.
A Biotech Startup With Climate Ambitions
Founded in 2021, ‘Again’ is the brainchild of Danish researchers and German entrepreneur Max Kufner. It positions itself as the world’s first scalable, carbon-negative chemical manufacturer, one aiming to overhaul how industrial chemicals are made.
How Again’s Process Works
Rather than capturing CO₂ just to store it underground (as with carbon capture and storage, or CCS), Again’s process feeds waste CO₂ straight into its custom-designed bioreactors. There, it’s fermented with hydrogen and processed by ancient, oxygen-hating bacteria, some of the oldest life forms on Earth. These hardy microbes, once dominant in Earth’s CO₂-rich primordial soup, now have a new purpose, i.e. transforming industrial emissions into chemicals like acetate, used in everything from paints and adhesives to cosmetics and plastics.
According to Again, this approach can reduce emissions associated with chemical production by up to 80 per cent, thereby making it a potential game-changer for one of the planet’s most polluting sectors.
Why Texas? Why Now?
Again’s new plant, dubbed TXS-1, is being built in Texas City which is an industrial hub on the Gulf Coast and home to major petrochemical facilities. The reasons why it’s such a strategic location for this purpose are :
– Abundant CO₂ supply. Again will capture waste CO₂ directly from a refinery on-site, avoiding costly transport emissions.
– Hydrogen availability. The region is rapidly scaling up hydrogen production, another essential input for Again’s process.
– Industrial partnerships. The facility is hosted at a site operated by Diamond Infrastructure Solutions, a joint venture between Dow and Macquarie Asset Management. Chemicals giant HELM AG is also on board to distribute Again’s products.
Ancient Bacteria Meet AI
At the heart of Again’s process is a mix of ancient biology and modern computation.
For example, the bacteria involved are strict anaerobes, organisms that evolved billions of years ago, long before oxygen was present in Earth’s atmosphere. Back in those early conditions, CO₂ dominated, and these microbes adapted to use it as a food source. Today, Again has harnessed these same organisms, placing them in oxygen-free bioreactors alongside green hydrogen. As they metabolise the mixture, they produce valuable chemicals like acetate, a key building block used across multiple industries.
The process has been optimised using AI-powered bioengineering and chemical modelling, allowing Again to tweak conditions for maximum output and efficiency. The company describes it as similar to brewing, only instead of beer, the end product is a clean, commercially viable chemical, ready for use in adhesives, textiles, paints or even packaging.
From Copenhagen to the Gulf Coast
Again’s journey started in Denmark. In 2023, the company launched its first operational pilot plant on the industrial outskirts of Copenhagen. That facility now captures up to one tonne of CO₂ per day and converts it into acetate using the same bacterial fermentation process.
That successful trial laid the groundwork for a rapid international expansion. Again has raised more than $150 million in funding to date, including a €39.4 million Series A round co-led by GV and HV Capital, and a €47 million grant from the EU’s Horizon Europe initiative. Alongside the new US site, the company is also building a second European facility in Norway as part of the PyroCO₂ project—a multi-partner initiative exploring large-scale carbon capture and utilisation.
The company says the US is an especially attractive market for its technology due to strong industrial demand, federal support for low-carbon manufacturing, and the sheer volume of CO₂ emissions in the petrochemical sector. TXS-1 will be co-located with existing industrial infrastructure, allowing Again to capture emissions directly at the source and avoid costly transport logistics.
Why Green Chemicals Matter
The global chemical industry contributes around 4 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions which is twice the amount produced by aviation. However, unlike power generation or transport, where decarbonisation efforts are more mature, the chemical sector remains particularly tough to tackle. That’s because carbon isn’t just an energy source in this context but is a core ingredient.
Uses Captured CO₂
Traditional chemical production relies on fossil-based feedstocks such as oil, gas and coal. That means the process remains carbon-intensive, even if the energy powering the plants becomes renewable. Again’s approach flips this equation, i.e., using captured CO₂ as a feedstock turns waste into value, effectively recycling emissions back into the supply chain.
The resulting chemicals are functionally identical to their fossil-derived counterparts, meaning customers don’t need to compromise on performance to choose a lower-carbon option. Again’s scientific co-founder, Dr Torbjørn Jensen, is keen to point out that the potential climate benefits are substantial, saying: “We have the means to not only capture waste CO₂ but turn it into useful products to fully decarbonise the supply chain.”
No Premiums, No Excuses
Cost is another area where Again is clearly aiming to stand apart. For example, while many climate tech firms rely on subsidies or carbon credits to stay competitive, Again claims its green chemicals are price-aligned with fossil-based alternatives. That makes them a viable swap-in for major industrial buyers.
Also, because the company co-locates its facilities with industrial emitters, it avoids the need to build entirely new infrastructure or transport captured CO₂ across long distances. This keeps operational costs lower and simplifies logistics (both key concerns for heavy industry).
According to Again, its model not only reduces emissions but helps build supply chain resilience. By producing chemicals locally using waste inputs, companies can reduce their reliance on volatile global fossil markets and mitigate geopolitical risk.
A Growing Ecosystem of Carbon Utilisers
It’s worth noting here that Again isn’t the only player reimagining how carbon can be reused rather than emitted. Several other startups and innovators are working on similar problems, though often using very different technologies. These include, for example:
– LanzaTech, based in the US and New Zealand, uses microbial gas fermentation to turn industrial emissions into fuels, chemicals and even fabrics. Its tech is already operating at commercial scale in China and Belgium.
– Twelve, based in California, uses electrochemical reactors to transform captured CO₂ into syngas, plastics and even jet fuel. It has partnered with major brands like Mercedes-Benz and Shopify.
– Carbon Clean, headquartered in the UK, develops compact carbon capture systems designed for smaller industrial sites. Some of its partners are exploring reuse pathways for the captured emissions.
– Climeworks, based in Switzerland, focuses mainly on direct air capture and storage, but has also collaborated on utilisation pilots for synthetic fuels and fertilisers.
What makes Again’s model distinctive is its biological foundation and its emphasis on full commercial scalability. The company believes its AI-enhanced, plug-and-play bioreactors could be deployed in a wide range of industrial settings, bringing emissions down while making useful products at the same time.
Challenges and Open Questions
While the potential is clear, the path to industrial-scale success is far from straightforward. For example, some of the issues to be tackled include:
– Scaling up. Even with TXS-1 and other plants online, the amount of CO₂ processed will remain a fraction of global chemical-sector emissions. Expanding from thousands to millions of tonnes per year will require vast investment and infrastructure alignment.
– Hydrogen dependency. Again’s process depends on green hydrogen, which remains costly and in limited supply. If the hydrogen used isn’t produced from renewable sources, the overall emissions savings could be undermined.
– Regulatory support. The success of projects like Again’s often hinges on supportive climate policies, especially in high-emitting regions. Carbon pricing, clean energy incentives and emissions regulations will all play a role in shaping demand.
– Industry buy-in. Despite the environmental benefits, industrial clients will need assurance that the supply, quality and pricing of green chemicals can match fossil-based equivalents at scale. Long-term contracts and offtake agreements will be key to proving commercial viability.
Some critics may also question whether these technologies risk entrenching the petrochemical status quo, making it easier for fossil-heavy industries to continue operating, rather than shifting toward fundamentally different models of production and consumption.
For now, however, Again’s approach seems to offer something rarely seen in the climate tech space, i.e. a scalable, biologically driven process that recycles carbon, reduces emissions and produces critical products without asking customers to pay more or change how they operate. That may prove to be a winning formula in the urgent race to decarbonise industry.
What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?
What Again is building in Texas appears to reflect a growing confidence in the potential of carbon utilisation technologies to deliver real-world impact. By rethinking carbon not as waste, but as a resource, companies like Again are beginning to close the loop on emissions-heavy sectors that have traditionally been among the hardest to clean up. For the global petrochemicals industry, long viewed as a decarbonisation dead end, this marks a meaningful shift from theory to scalable practice.
For businesses, especially those in manufacturing, construction, and fast-moving consumer goods, the implications may be significant because the ability to source carbon-negative chemicals without a cost penalty is a powerful proposition. It suggests that environmental responsibility no longer has to come with financial compromise. In a world where supply chain resilience is under constant strain, Again’s co-located model also offers a localised, low-risk alternative to long-haul chemical imports. This could have strategic value not just in the US, but in Europe too.
UK businesses, in particular, may want to watch this space closely. For example, with increasing pressure from regulators, investors and customers to lower emissions, a viable route to greener inputs could open up new paths to compliance and competitive advantage. Although Again’s current facilities are outside the UK, its presence in Denmark and Norway, and the plug-and-play nature of its tech, means it could easily become part of Britain’s low-carbon supply chain in the near future, especially if domestic hydrogen capacity scales up.
At the same time, the challenges highlighted remain very real. Cost, scale, and energy inputs will all determine whether this approach can transition from promising to mainstream. That said, the early signs are encouraging. By blending millennia-old biology with modern science and smart commercial thinking, Again has shown what’s possible when sustainability is treated not as a side project but as a core business model. Whether it succeeds or not, it’s helping to rewrite the rulebook on what a cleaner, circular industrial future could look like.
