$1,7 Million Fundraise For Scale Up

Bio-Sep secures $1.7 Million for our green-tech that turns sawdust into sustainable biochemicals, from investors including London Business School’s Enterprise 100 investment club and ACF Investors, with additional participation from a hedge fund that specialises in climate and clean energy technology.

As a society, we rely heavily on the chemicals industry. Products produced by chemical companies afford us high quality of life – they’re the backbone of everything from modern healthcare to technology. But it’s also an industry that’s notoriously polluting. Cleaning up and decarbonising the chemicals industry will be absolutely key if we are to meet climate goals like the Paris Agreement, and the technology provided by Bio-Sep is well-placed to play a central role.

Bio-Sep's Story

Bio-Sep was founded by Stephen Brooks, a sugar chemist, who was trying to find a solution to the waste from sugar cane production, where 30% of the plant is waste woody biomass which is generally burned or left to rot. Bio-Sep has developed and patented a cleaner, low-energy solution that uses ultrasound to help break down woody biomass into high-value biochemical products.


Bio-Sep is currently upcycling sawdust, which is the most widely available woody biomass in the UK, from forestry partners. Each £1 of sawdust from sawmills is transformed into £6 of biochemicals with a broad range of potential uses. These biochemicals can often be used to replace petrochemicals, contributing to the decarbonisation of the chemicals industry.

Sustainable Biochemicals

  • Microcrystalline cellulose – a well-known speciality chemical found in medications, cosmetics, composites and 3D printing
  • Natural lignin a complex aromatic polymer that is the only natural substitute for a petroleum-sourced chemical known as phenol which offers a huge number of business opportunities to be used for bio-based resins, composites, coatings, polyurethane foams, bioplastics and more.
  • Hemicellulose hydrolysate – a mixed sugar syrup that can either be used as a syrup or further processed into sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and sorbitol frequently found in dental products, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages
Adrian Black

Adrian Black, CEO

Our technology takes a low-value agricultural or forestry co-product and turns it into essential chemical building blocks, with all manner of applications across the chemical industry and beyond, delivering significant environmental and economic benefits. This investment will enable us to push on and commercialise the technology and is a fantastic show of support for what we believe to be a world-changing innovation.

The funding will be used to recruit staff to operate the pilot plant at our facility located in the Midlands and design the first scaled-up, commercial plant planned for development in heavily forested Scotland. Construction of the commercial plant, which will be able to process approximately 13,000 tonnes of wood a year, is set to begin in 2023.  

The Enterprise 100 Club has provided a vital pipeline of funding for budding startups at London Business School, giving them the opportunity to scale their businesses over the last 22 years and injecting new blood into the School’s ecosystem. I look forward to seeing Bio-Sep reaching new heights with this funding.

Hiring-Process Chemist

Process chemist role complete

We are Hiring  - a Process Chemist -

Bio-Sep is seeking a talented process chemist to join our growing team as we scale our ultrasonic biorefinery technology.
At Bio-Sep, we are passionate about the circular economy and we’re on a mission to provide the world with ground-breaking technology that will produce sustainable biochemicals. 

Bio-Sep is a clean technology company based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. We have developed a sustainable, ultrasonic biorefining technology that transforms woody biomass, the by-products of forestry and agriculture, into high value biochemicals with a wide range of applications. After a period of intense R&D activity, we are now ready to scale up and commercialise our technology and we’re seeking a talented Process Chemist to join our growing team.

Based at the pilot plant site at Melton Mowbray, the Process Chemist will have day-to-day responsibility for operation of a kilo-scale R&D reactor and downstream separation and purification equipment. Working with our Process Engineer, you will also support operation of the pilot plant and, working with our Chief Chemist and Analytical Chemist, you will support analysis, characterisation.

Reporting to the Chief Chemist and the Senior Process Engineer, your main duties and responsibilities will be to:

  • operate the kilo-scale ultrasonic rig to inform scale-up parameters for a wide range of starting materials
  • support the design of trial plans and lead on data gathering, analysis and process optimisation
  • operate and maintain down-stream product separation and purification equipment with minimal supervision
  • accurately record all results, deviations and observations to support process development
  • work with the Chief Chemist and Marketing Director to support the development of robust pathways to commercialisation for Bio-Sep products
  • support operation of the pilot plant with the Senior Process Engineer
  • work in an agile and flexible manner, responding to changing company and customer needs
  • support other activities to grow and develop the company and its technology as appropriate

Person specification

  • Qualified to HND, degree or masters level in process engineering, chemical engineering, or other relevant scientific disciplines.
  • Experience of working in a pilot-scale or production environment, operating kilo-scale and larger equipment
  • Experience of carrying out trial procedures and using the results to solve problems and inform future research and scale-up.
  • Self-starter, able to plan their own time whilst managing multiple projects over different timescales with minimal supervision
  • Practical, active person with excellent problem-solving skills
  • Confident at interacting with all levels of seniority both within the company and externally
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Confident at handling and recording large volumes of data
  • Keen to learn new skills and support Bio-Sep to grow its business through access to accurate data

If this sounds like you and you share our vision of a sustainable future then apply now.

Please send your CV and cover letter by email to andy@bio-sep.com