Phycobloom
Entrepreneur First '20London, GB · Founded 2020 · 3 known investors
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Phyco Bloom uses synthetic biology to engineer algae that capture carbon dioxide and convert it into oil for use as a sustainable fuel or plastic feedstock. The company targets applications such as aviation, shipping, and materials production.
Also known as Phyco Bloom
Founders & leadership
Phycobloom was founded in 2020 by John Waite and Ian Hu.
Investors · 3
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Phycobloom is a London-based biotechnology company applying synthetic biology to engineer novel strains of microalgae that take up carbon dioxide and convert it into oils usable as fuels or chemical feedstocks. The company describes algae as highly efficient photosynthesisers and states that its engineered strains produce oil more efficiently while remaining alive, so that carbon capture and oil conversion continue on an ongoing basis rather than requiring harvest of the biomass.
The stated end applications are aviation fuel, marine fuel, and plastics — sectors the company argues cannot be served by solar, wind, or lithium-based electrification. An external startup directory describes the objective as enabling cheap, carbon-neutral biofuels by using atmospheric CO2 to create affordable and sustainable hydrocarbons. A third-party funding-news listing additionally frames potential algae applications more broadly, including nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and bioremediation, and classifies the company in the Energy industry.
The company maintains a science page, a blog, and a team page. As of the material reviewed, it stated it was not actively hiring but invited scientists to submit CVs.
Founding story
EU-Startups identifies the founders as Dr. Ian Hu, described as having genetically engineered algae for a decade, and a second co-founder whose name is truncated in the source. The company team page lists John Waite as co-founder and CEO and Ian Hu as co-founder and CTO. The company states it was founded on the belief that algae offer a natural and sustainable carbon fuel source and that biofuels will be needed for industries other renewables cannot serve.
Business model
The sources do not describe pricing, contracts, or commercial arrangements. The company positions algae-derived oil as a substitute input for fossil-derived fuels and plastics feedstock, implying sale of an oil product or licensed production, but no source states the model explicitly.
Traction
Limited disclosed traction. The company site lists a ten-person team including research and operations staff, names Entrepreneur First, Zero Carbon Capital, and BoxOne Ventures as backers, and reports engagement with the sustainable aviation fuel community. A third-party source reports a $300,000 grant in 2025; another directory states no funding had been announced. No customers, revenue, production volumes, or pilot results are disclosed.
Latest developments
A funding-news listing published 9 July 2025 reported a $300,000 grant round, with proceeds earmarked for research and development, scaling production processes, and securing intellectual property. The same listing gives an employee range of 11-50 and total funding of £300.0K, which conflicts with the ten people named on the company team page and with EU-Startups' statement that no funding had been announced.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned as an early-stage synthetic biology company in the sustainable fuels space, targeting hard-to-electrify sectors. EU-Startups lists it in its UK startup directory with tags for biofuel, biotechnology, and sustainability, and reported no announced funding at the time of that listing.
Technology
Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering of microalgae strains to increase the efficiency of oil (lipid) production from atmospheric or waste CO2. The company emphasises that the engineered algae remain alive while continually capturing carbon and converting it to oil. Team composition — multiple principal and senior scientists, research scientists, and a director of R&D — and attendance at a membrane protein workshop indicate a laboratory-based research programme.
Go-to-market
Sources show early-stage, science-led outreach rather than a defined sales motion: conference participation aimed at the sustainable aviation fuel investor community (SAF Investor London 2024), scientific workshop attendance, and content publishing via a company blog.
Sectors that require liquid hydrocarbon fuels or hydrocarbon feedstocks: aviation, shipping, and plastics/materials production.
Geography
Based in London, United Kingdom, with offices and laboratory space in a Westbourne Park building near Little Venice shared with other startups (Thermulon and Nanograb). Team activities referenced include travel to Birmingham for a scientific workshop.
History
External directories list a founding year of 2019 (EU-Startups and a funding-news listing), while the company site carries a 2024 copyright and blog content covering 2024 activities such as attendance at SAF Investor London 2024 and the 5th UK Workshop on Membrane Proteins at Aston University. In July 2025 a funding-news outlet reported a $300,000 grant round.
Risks & controversies
Sources contain unresolved inconsistencies about the company's basic profile: founding year listed as 2019 by external directories, headcount reported as 11-50 by one aggregator versus ten named staff on the company site, and total funding described both as 'no funding announced yet' and as £300.0K/$300,000. The $300K funding report comes from a single aggregator with generic, promotional phrasing and mixes currency units. Technical claims about algae oil outperforming other renewables originate from the company's own website and are not independently verified in the sources.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsA funding-news listing reported that Phycobloom raised $300,000 in a grant round, to be used for R&D, scaling production processes and securing intellectual property. The same listing states total funding of £300.0K and classifies the company under Energy.
$300K source ↗
Company blog reports that co-founder and CEO John Waite attended the two-day SAF Investor London 2024 conference on the transition to sustainable aviation fuels.
Members of the Phycobloom team travelled to Aston University in Birmingham for the 5th UK Workshop on Membrane Proteins.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Phycobloomphycobloom.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Phycobloom do?
- London biotech using synthetic biology to engineer algae that convert CO2 into oil for fuels and plastics.
- Who founded Phycobloom?
- Phycobloom was founded by John Waite, Ian Hu in 2020.
- Who are Phycobloom's investors?
- Phycobloom's investors include Entrepreneur First, Zero Carbon Capital, BoxOne Ventures.
- Where is Phycobloom headquartered?
- Phycobloom is headquartered in London, GB.