Freiberg-based chemical startup CYNiO has successfully raised over €2 million in investment capital to scale its sustainable technology for isocyanate production and strategically expand its product portfolio.
The funding was a result of a joint investment by bmp Ventures with the IBG Innovation Fund and TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, who bring valuable expertise and networks to support CYNiO on its path to market readiness.
“Our technology enables access to rare isocyanates – safely, economically, and on demand,” says CEO Michéle Tille. “This investment is a crucial milestone for our team, bringing us one step closer to our vision: to spark the development of innovative end products through our chemical solutions,” adds CPO Marlene Baumhardt.
Founded in 2025 as a spin-off of TU Bergakademie Freiberg, CYNiO specialises in the safe, flexible, and sustainable production of CO₂-based isocyanates – entirely phosgene-free. The company develops chemical building blocks for research, industry, and specialised applications, closing a critical gap in the value chain.
The founding team behind CYNiO consists of Michéle Tille (CEO), Marlene Baumhardt (CPO) and Sophie Riedel (COO).
This innovation enables safe, flexible production of even small batches of specialised isocyanates – key building blocks in pharmaceuticals, adhesives, coatings, and foams – essential to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and construction industries, among others.
According to the company, the production of such specialty products has been severely limited by toxic and inflexible conventional methods, hindering innovation in both research and industry.
Ywes Israel, Principal at bmp Ventures, emphasises the outstanding importance for the location: “With CYNiO, another highly innovative company is coming to Bitterfeld-Wolfen, thus strengthening Saxony-Anhalt as a chemical location and Europe as a production location. I am delighted that we are able to support the traditional chemical industry into the future with this investment.”
The company’s first production facility will be established in the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park in Saxony-Anhalt. From this location, CYNiO will supply the European market with new and hard-to-source isocyanates, reducing dependence on time-consuming and costly imports. Sales and marketing will be based in the region of Leipzig.
The location was deliberately chosen in order to bundle central functions in a dynamic, technology-orientated environment.
Sören Schuster, Managing Director of TGFS: “CYNiO is an outstanding example of how excellent research in Saxony can lead to marketable high technology. As part of the SAXEED network, the team built up entrepreneurial expertise at an early stage and achieved a real innovation leap in speciality chemicals. The cooperation between two Central German VC investors has made it possible to finance this university spin-off.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/07/german-startup-cynio-over-e2-million-for-next-the-step-in-the-specialty-chemicals-industry/