Vertoro secures €17 million to scale renewable oil

Dutch renewable oil developer Vertoro closed a €17 million Series B funding round. The company developed a technology to transform plant-based residues and agricultural waste into a highly flexible, low-carbon crude oil alternative. This platform bridges the gap between raw biomass and existing industrial infrastructure, offering a practical pathway to phase out fossil resources.

At the heart of Vertoro's market appeal is a processing technology that is simpler than traditional biofuel methods. Most conventional biomass conversion systems rely on complex catalytic reactions, high operating temperatures, and extreme pressure. These requirements drive up capital expenditure and complicate plant operations. In contrast, Vertoro's system operates at low temperatures and low pressures without requiring expensive catalysts. The output of this process is a highly stable, liquid renewable oil that can directly replace fossil crude in existing refinery infrastructure.

Decarbonizing heavy industries

Vertoro's renewable oil offers an immediate solution for heavy industries that are notoriously difficult to decarbonize. Unlike single-use biofuels, this bio-crude is highly versatile. In the near term, Vertoro is targeting high-value chemical applications, where the oil serves as a sustainable feedstock for materials like thermoplastics. As production scales, the same oil can serve directly as a drop-in fuel for maritime shipping, offering immediate emissions reductions without requiring modifications to existing vessel engines

“Vertoro is building a bridge between sustainable biomass and the global fuel system,” said Dirk den Ouden, incoming CEO of Vertoro. “By creating a renewable oil that can serve multiple industries, from chemicals to shipping to aviation, we can scale faster and deliver meaningful emissions reductions sooner.”

Strategic funding for commercial expansion

The newly secured €17 million funding round will directly accelerate Vertoro's transition from technology validation to commercial production. The company currently operates a demonstration plant in Geleen, Netherlands, to refine its process and produce material for customer trials. However, the primary focus of this capital injection is the construction of a 5-kiloton-per-annum commercial plant at the Port of Rotterdam. Scheduled to begin operations by January 31, 2027, this facility will serve as the commercial launchpad for Vertoro's renewable oil. 

Following the successful deployment of the Rotterdam plant, the company plans to design and license larger, full-scale commercial facilities with capacities ranging from 100 to 250 kilotons per annum.

The transaction consists of €10 million in new capital and €7 million in converted loan notes. Backers include Invest-NL, Climate Tech Partners, and the shipping giant Maersk, as well as regional Dutch funds.

Julien Manhes, Airbus Head of Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Carbon Dioxide Removal, welcomed the new investment. "SAF has the potential to reduce aviation emissions by up to 80% on a through-life basis. Renewable energy companies like Vertoro are helping make this a reality while addressing the need to fast-track fuel security by bringing production closer to the source of feedstocks."