Sustainable chemicals startup secures €5.4 mln investment

Dutch green chemical company Relement announced it has secured a €5.4 million seed round to scale up production and bring its first compound to market.

Relement, based in Bergen op Zoom, is active in the field of aromatics, chemical compounds used in pharmaceutical products, plastics, and agrochemicals. Currently, these elements are very polluting to make.

The Dutch startup has found a way to convert agricultural waste streams into bio-aromatics. Not only do these compounds reduce the environmental impact of the products they are used for, but they also improve their performance. Relement's Bio MPA, short for biobased 3-methylphthalic anhydride, does exactly that, reducing the carbon footprint and improving the performance of a specific class of paint (alkyd coating).

Bringing sustainable chemicals to the market

The funding came from KIKK Capital, Yield Lab Europe, Brabant Development Agency (BOM), TNO Ventures, and Relement Management. It consists of both new equity and the conversion of existing loan agreements.

“This investment accelerates our mission to bring high‑performance, sustainable ingredients to market,” said Roger Blokland, CEO and co‑founder of Relement. “With help from our manufacturing partners, we will scale Bio MPA production and support coatings customers to deliver more value. The investors’ participation reflects growing confidence in Relement’s strategy as the company moves from pilots to commercial supply.”

“Relement contributes directly to an unmet need in the circular economy and therefore potentially reduces the ecological footprint of an increasing number of companies. BOM has been supporting Relement since the early hours, and we are proud to contribute to the first winner of the LEVEL UP AWARDS,” Martijn van der Vleuten, investment manager at BOM.

“We invest in promising, scalable technology companies, led by experienced commercial teams, that have the potential to grow into leaders in their field. We are looking forward to adding our considerable expertise to help Relement grow,” says Johan Sebregts, managing partner at KIKK Capital.

“In the future, farmers will not only produce food but also sustainable raw materials. Relement bridges the gap between farmers and such materials,” added Daan Wilms van Kersbergen, Yield Lab Europe.

Relement keeps up with its momentum

Relement was born in 2020 as a spin-off of the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). It originated in TNO's Biorizon program, aiming to make an impact in the decarbonization of the chemical industry.

“Relement has translated TNO innovation into a scalable route to Bio MPA. This investment round confirms confidence in the team and technology as they advance sustainable coatings and materials, an impact we’re proud to support,” stated Hans Boumans, Director of TNO Ventures.

In 2024, Relement announced a partnership with Weylchem-Allessa GmbH to move toward ton-scale production of Bio MPA. Last year, they unveiled BIOmotion70, a concept paint with 70% sustainable content and drastically reduced fossil-solvent use.