COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BRIGHT, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) ("LanzaTech"), a global leader in gas fermentation, have entered a multi-year agreement to accelerate development of technologies that convert carbon emissions into valuable products.
The partnership runs until April 2028 and includes the design and installation of a next-generation C1 biofoundry at DTU. This allows LanzaTech to extend its world-class synthetic biology expertise, leveraging BRIGHT's infrastructure, talent, and regional reach. At the same time, DTU will gain the tools and expertise needed to establish Denmark and Europe as an important player in the emerging field of carbon-to-value biotechnology, accelerating innovation in the field of circular and competitive bioeconomy.
"DTU has a history of driving innovation from the lab to commercial deployment. Our new partnership with LanzaTech emphasizes our commitment to accelerate bio-solutions innovation for the benefit of Denmark, Europe and beyond," says DTU provost, Christine Nellemann.
From carbon emissions to sustainable products
The new biofoundry will utilize gas fermentation where microbes transform CO2, CO and methane into fuels, chemicals and materials. The technology is emerging as a key pathway for reducing industrial emissions and enabling circular, climate-positive solutions. Engineering these specialized microbes is, however, difficult, requiring advanced automation, AI, robotics, gas-handling and high-throughput strain-development tools.
"This partnership brings unique capabilities to Denmark and accelerates our ambition to turn carbon emissions into valuable products. Working with LanzaTech strengthens our ability to drive sustainable innovation with real impact," says Luuk van der Wielen, Director of BRIGHT.
LanzaTech has spent more than 15 years developing world-leading synthetic biology capabilities for carbon-fixing, gas-fermenting organisms, including the first dedicated biofoundry for these challenging microbes. LanzaTech's unique biofoundry solution is purpose built for non-model organisms with highly customized anaerobic and gas handling capabilities and advanced workflows validated through many years of operation.
"We are delighted to partner with BRIGHT, whose vision, expertise, and commitment to transformative research make them the ideal partner for LanzaTech. This marks a significant milestone in our transformation. By creating a dedicated team that consolidates our biotechnology know-how, we can focus the broader team on our commitment to delivering commercial sustainable aviation fuel and biorefining projects," says LanzaTech CEO, Jennifer Holmgren.
Under the new agreement, a LanzaTech team will develop tailored methods and workflows for BRIGHT's research missions, provide a non-exclusive license to relevant IP for tools and biofoundry workflows, and design and install a customized C1 biofoundry at DTU.
FACTS
Why this partnership matters
Recent advances in C1 biofoundry design at LanzaTech have created new opportunities to develop production strains more efficiently, enabling conversion of CO, CO2 and methane off-gases into valuable fuels, chemicals and materials. Access to these capabilities is currently limited, slowing research and technology development worldwide.
Establishing a next-generation C1 biofoundry at BRIGHT will close this gap and create a shared platform for researchers, partners and innovation activities in Denmark and across Europe.
A C1 biofoundry specialized in microbes that utilize C1 gases will enable:
- Faster strain development cycles
Automation and parallelization allow thousands of microbial designs to be generated and tested at once. - Reduced innovation risk
High-throughput workflows enable testing many more variants, helping teams fail faster and optimize sooner. - Integration of AI-driven design tools
Data from large-scale strain screening feeds into models that guide the next design cycle, accelerating the Design-Build-Test-Learn loop. - Safe, high-precision research on challenging organisms
Working with non-model, often anaerobic microbes - and with flammable or toxic gases - requires specialized equipment and know-how.
About BRIGHT
BRIGHT is a research center at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) focused on enabling transformative research and innovation for a circular and competitive bioeconomy. Through cutting-edge science, leading research infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration and strong industry partnerships, BRIGHT develops next-generation biological solutions for foods, materials and chemicals.
https://bright.dtu.dk/
About LanzaTech
LanzaTech (NASDAQ: LNZA) is a leader in carbon management, using its proprietary gas-fermentation platform to transform waste carbon into valuable products. Through global partnerships, LanzaTech enables the production of feedstocks for high-value markets including SAF and chemicals. Headquartered in the U.S., the company provides technology and commercial pathways that strengthen industrial resilience and unlock new economic value from carbon.
https://lanzatech.com/
