Geleen, Netherlands – Wednesday June 17th 2026 – Vertoro, a renewable oil company, today announced the first closing of its €17m Series B round (consisting of €10m newly contributed capital and €7m converted loan notes) with Climate Tech Partners, Invest-NL, Maersk as key investors and further contributions from Energietransitiefonds Rotterdam, LIOF, SHIFT and, Brightlands Venture Partners. The round will primarily be used to continue progress in scaling Vertoro’s technology that converts plant-based waste into a flexible renewable oil used to produce low-carbon fuels and chemicals.
The technology supports energy security objectives at a time of heightened geopolitical risk, enabling countries to convert locally waste feedstocks into a domestic supply of renewable oil and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.
A scalable alternative to fossil crude
At the core of Vertoro’s approach is a fundamentally simpler process than conventional biofuel technologies. Operating at low pressure and temperature without catalysts, the system is designed to deliver structurally lower capex and operating costs. Combined with a modular plant design, this positions Vertoro as a potential cost leader in the emerging bio-based fuels and chemicals market. Unlike many point solutions, Vertoro’s product is inherently flexible. It can be deployed across multiple end markets, supporting near-term revenue while enabling long-term scale.From chemicals to fuels: a multi-market pathway to scale
The initial focus is on higher-value chemical applications, where the product can be used as a sustainable feedstock for materials and industrial products such as thermoplastics. From there, the same oil can be deployed as a drop-in fuel for maritime shipping, enabling immediate emissions reductions in one of the hardest-to-abate sectors. In parallel, Vertoro is advancing pathways to upgrade this renewable oil into sustainable aviation fuel, supporting the aviation industry’s long-term decarbonisation goals. Crucially, Vertoro’s product is compatible with existing refinery infrastructure, avoiding the need for entirely new supply chains and enabling faster, capital-efficient adoption.Progressing toward commercial deployment
The company is currently operating a demonstration plant to validate its technology at scale, producing material for testing and customer trials while continuing to improve efficiency and scalability. With a robust portfolio of multiple patent families, Vertoro is now focused on preparing for commercial deployment through a licensing model and future large-scale facilities, with partners including Raízen, the world’s largest sugarcane ethanol producer.“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.”Beyond producing low-cost, low carbon products, Vertoro’s technology also has the potential to strengthen energy security. By converting locally available agricultural and forestry residues into usable oil, countries can reduce reliance on imported fossil resources, diversify their energy mix, and build more resilient domestic supply chains. This distributed production model enables regions to turn waste into a strategic resource, supporting both economic and environmental objectives.
Industry perspective on scaling sustainable fuels
Leaders across the aviation and the maritime sector emphasise the need for scalable, practical solutions to reduce emissions.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 thru-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.”Climate Tech Partners’ contribution to this investment round is backed by the Airbus-Qantas Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) partnership. Established in 2022, the partnership aims to foster SAF production and support the aviation industry’s decarbonisation efforts.