Innovative Finnish Cleantech Company Secures Funding for Nutrient Recovery Solutions

NPHarvest, a leading Finnish cleantech enterprise, has been granted up to €1.2 million in funding from Business Finland’s Deep Tech Accelerator (DTA). This funding is aimed at propelling the scale-up and commercialization of its cutting-edge nutrient recovery technology, which transforms liquid waste streams into market-ready fertilizer inputs. This initiative offers a sustainable solution for waste-to-energy operators facing challenges due to nutrient overload.

Demand for Nutrient Recovery Solutions Amid Waste-to-Energy Growth

As Europe witnesses a significant expansion in organic waste-to-energy capacity, the resultant nutrient-rich liquid digestate is rising, especially in regions such as Northern Germany, Northern France, and the Benelux countries. Stricter European Union regulations on nitrogen application have rendered local spreading of this material impractical, resulting in costly long-distance transportation.

NPHarvest is focused on alleviating this challenge by extracting nitrogen and phosphorus from liquid waste streams and converting them into usable fertilizer inputs. This technology transitions nutrient recovery beyond mere pilot projects to scalable industrial applications.

“In Europe, the main challenge in fertilizer production is no longer the availability of nutrients but the methods and locations for their recovery and reuse,” stated Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen, CEO of NPHarvest. “This funding enables us to convert that limitation into a model for scalable deployment.”

Major Technical Advancements Pave the Way for Commercial Deployment

This recent DTA award follows a substantial investment of €2.2 million from Nordic Foodtech VC and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, marking a year filled with crucial technical developments. In 2025, NPHarvest is set to launch its inaugural industrial-scale demonstrator at a waste-to-energy facility in Ankara, Turkey. Preliminary trials conducted in collaboration with the University of Helsinki’s Viikki research farm have demonstrated that the recovered nitrogen and phosphorus match the efficacy of conventional synthetic fertilizers.

With the DTA funding secured, NPHarvest will focus on finalizing its industrial-scale reactor design and establishing the supply chain necessary for wider implementation. “Our primary constraint lies in engineering and production capacity,” revealed Sara Ikonen, COO of NPHarvest. “Once we finalize the reactor design, our next step will be creating a high-quality, effective supply chain.”

Anticipated Commercial Installations by 2026

In an interview with AgTechNavigator, Ikonen elaborated on the commercialization timeline: “We plan to commence construction of our first commercial installations in 2026, with operational roll-out expected by 2027. Our initial focus will be on nutrient-dense regions in Western Europe, such as Germany and the Netherlands.”

NPHarvest is positioning itself at the forefront of Europe’s nutrient security discourse, emphasizing the strategic importance of local nitrogen and phosphorus recovery. “NPHarvest provides circular nutrient sources that are independent of international fertilizer supply chains,” Ikonen asserted. “Our production process for ammonium salts does not rely on natural gas, further insulating us from the prevailing dependencies in today’s fertilizer industry.”