Chinese control
of global graphite anode manufacturing capacity
A DTU pre-spinout project
Accelerating European hard carbon production.
With the world’s first carbon-negative battery material.
BioNa produces battery-grade hard carbon anode material from agricultural waste—the only fully European anode with a carbon-negative lifecycle.
Developed at DTU Energy Made in Europe
Sodium-ion ready 
Lifecycle impact −1.8 kg CO₂ / kg material
One European value chain
- 01 Biomass
- 02 Biochar
- 03 Hard carbon
- 04 Battery
The challenge
Europe’s battery supply chain has an anode problem.
Anode materials are the critical weakness of European battery supply chains. For sodium-ion batteries—identified by the EU as a strategic priority—hard carbon is the only viable anode material.
With no European producer and Chinese supply under CBAM pressure from 2027, cell manufacturers face a critical bottleneck. BioNa was built to solve it.
European facilities
commercially producing hard carbon anode material
CO₂ emissions
per kg of conventional fossil-derived anode material
Annual growth
in a hard carbon market estimated at $500M in 2026
The supply chain gap
Every major battery chemistry depends on an anode.
Europe is investing across cathode chemistries while the anode layer remains overwhelmingly dependent on China.
Cell chemistry Cathode Anode
Sodium-ion Developing China-dependent
LFP EU capacity China-dependent
NMC EU capacity China-dependent
Lithium-sulfur EU capacity China-dependent
The Double Negative process
Carbon negative.
Negative electrode.
Our proprietary process converts European agricultural biochar into high-performance hard carbon anode material for sodium-ion batteries.
01 Waste biomass
Agricultural residues are collected from European farms.
02 Biochar
Existing European pyrolysis facilities convert biomass into a carbon-rich feedstock.
03 Hard carbon
BioNa’s proprietary treatment upgrades biochar into battery-grade anode material.
From field to cell A clear path from agricultural waste to energy storage.
01 Agricultural waste European farm residues
02 European biochar Local pyrolysis
03 BioNa hard carbon Proprietary upgrade
04 Sodium-ion cells Battery-grade output
Designed for Long-term European value
Stationary storageRenewables, industry and data centres
Recycling-readyBuilt for a circular battery economy
Durable carbon sinkCarbon remains locked in the anode
The hard carbon stored in a battery anode can act as durable carbon removal under the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation.
Technology
Designed around accessible pores.
BioNa’s proprietary multi-stage carbonisation precisely directs the evolution of carbon microstructure, synthesising hard carbon particles with optimised accessible pores.
These microporous structures enable sodium storage while limiting SEI formation—supporting specific capacity without sacrificing Initial Coulombic Efficiency.
BioNa v2
Validated May 2026
280 mAh/g
1st cycle specific capacity
90 %
Initial Coulombic Efficiency
Precursor
European agricultural feedstock
Hard carbon morphology Development roadmap
From validated material to pilot scale.
- MS0v2 prototypeDone
Specific capacity ≥ 280 mAh/g
- MS1v2x optimised
≥ 280 mAh/g and purity ≥ 99.95%
- MS2v3 optimised
Specific capacity ≥ 300 mAh/g
- MS3v3x composite
Initial Coulombic Efficiency ≥ 92%
- MS4External trial
Customer-led trial agreed
- MS5Pilot scale
Purchase agreement secured
DTU Energy capability
Rapidly tailored to individual feedstocks.
Through DTU Energy’s state-of-the-art material characterisation laboratory and electrochemical testing facilities, our analytical team can adapt the multi-stage process to individual biochar feedstocks and create bespoke treatments case by case.
Why BioNa
One material.
Three strategic advantages.
VP 01
Sovereignty
Every component of our supply chain—from agricultural feedstock to finished anode material—is sourced and processed within Europe.
100% European VP 02
Sustainability
Our life-cycle assessment shows a carbon-negative process. The anode acts as a durable carbon sink under the EU CRCF Regulation.
Up to −1.8 kg CO₂/kg VP 03
Efficiency
Biochar converts to hard carbon with a simpler supply chain, lower logistics costs and exceptionally high material yield.
>90% conversionThe BioNa team
Built by scientists. Driven by industry.
>25years commercial experience
>35years R&D experience
CEO
Prof. Thomas J. Howard
Mechanical engineering, supply chain and biomass processing · DTU
CTO
Dr. Peter Curran
Battery materials and hard carbon from biochar specialist
COO
Dr. Krishna Chakravarty
Biochar production specialist
CMO
Zoi Kika
Business development, fundraising and project management
R&D
Dr. Nihat Sahin
Battery scientist, cell production and performance
R&D
Dr. Archana Suresh
Hard carbon materials characterisation and analysis
CSO
Prof. Johan Olov Hjelm
Head of Electrochemistry and battery chemistry specialist · DTU Energy
Data Analysis & IT Infrastructure
Szymon Dyszewski
Building data analysis and visualisation tools, and managing IT infrastructure
Lab
Siddharth Jain
Thermo-chemical engineer
Board members
Prof. Tejs Vegge Battery specialist
Katja Grothe-Eberhard CDR CEO & Founder
Jesper Rasmussen Battery storage CEO
Scientific collaborators
Prof. Poul Norby Battery materials and cell production · DTU
Dr. Giulia Ravenni Pyrolysis and thermochemical engineering
Prof. Michael Hauschild Life-cycle assessment · DTU
Traction & partners
Validated by the ecosystem.
From DTU laboratories to European industry partners, BioNa is progressing toward commercial scale with strong technical and institutional backing.
6Letters of Intent from EU partners
1Active NDA with an EU industrial partner
2026EU consortium anode material partner
Grants & prizes awarded
DTU X-Tech Winners
Microlegat
Energifonden
Discovery Grant · DTU
EUopStart
OM Bright Idea Award
Otto Bruuns Fund
IFD Grand Solutions · Phase 2
Current stage
Exceeding customer threshold specifications.
- Diversifying European biochar feedstocks
- Building the 2026 industrial consortium
- Preparing the path to pilot-scale production
Partners & affiliations
Part of Europe’s battery innovation network.
01 DTU Energy
02 DTU Entrepreneurship
03 DTU Chemical Engineering
04 Innovation Fund Denmark
05 Horizon Europe · Batt4EU
06 Otto Mønsteds Fond
Let’s build the European value chain
A better battery starts with a better anode.
We are building our consortium for the Horizon Europe CL5-2026-09-D2-01 call (deadline September 2026) and welcome conversations with potential partners, customers, investors and collaborators.
info@biona.energy