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With a biotechnological process for recovering critical metals from industrial wastewater, Siderogain transfers a biotech process from research to business. At the heart of the process is a patented technology that efficiently recovers strategically important metals such as gallium, indium, and germanium from process residues in the semiconductor industry. The spin-off originated in the biotechnology department of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
Gallium, indium, and germanium are key raw materials for the semiconductor industry and are used in wafers, electronic chips, LEDs, and lasers. At the same time, Europe heavily dependents on imports of these metals, and observes steadily rising world market prices are rising steadily. Currently, prices range from 2,270 to 2,900 euros per kilogram for gallium, 9,450 to 10,210 euros per kilogram for germanium, and 840 euros per kilogram for indium (figures based on quotes from the leading Asian exchange, the Shanghai Metals Market).
To reduce dependency on imports and ensure future availability, the European semiconductor industries needs efficient recycling technologies. The process developed by the spin-off Siderogain therefore targets the valuable raw materials that have often been lost in the past: industrial process wastewater. “We use siderophores. These are biomolecules that have a particularly high binding affinity for certain metal ions. We’ve harnessed this property to selectively separate critical metals from low-concentration process streams - a process known as biosorption. With Siderogain, we aim to make this technology - which has been developed and tested over many years of research - available for industrial application,” says Dr. Rohan Jain, who has spearheaded the technology’s development and is taking over as CEO of Siderogain. In addition to Jain, the team includes Aratrika Ghosh, Dr. Peter Boelens, and Dr. Jonathan Engelhardt. Ghosh is responsible for the pilot plant, Boelens is in charge of new businesses and application areas, and Engelhardt develops the business.
From laboratory experiment to pilot plant
The first experiments were conducted in the laboratories of the HIF’s biotechnology department using various types of process wastewater from wafer production. In these experiments, gallium was bound almost completely. Subsequently to binding the target metal to the biomolecules, the team separates bio metal complex from the waste and decomplexes the biomolecule from the metal. This highlights another advantage of the process: reusability. Using a proprietary separation process, the bound metal and the siderophores are separated. The biomolecules are then reused. Even after more than ten cycles, the siderophores showed no loss of function, with the goal being 100 cycles.
Following successful laboratory-scale tests, the next decisive step came in 2025: Together with the semiconductor manufacturer Freiberger Compound Materials (FCM) GmbH, the Siderogain team scaled up the technology to the pilot scale. The transfer of the process from the laboratory to an industrial setting was successful, as the facility at the company’s site in Freiberg can now treat up to 2,000 liters of process wastewater per day. Collaborating with FCM plays a central role for Siderogain. It enables the team to further develop the technology under real production conditions and to investigate its scalability and economic viability.
In parallel to the pilot plant tests, the Siderogain team investigated the transferability of the process to other metals. They were able to demonstrate that even critical and economically significant metals such as indium and germanium can be recovered using this biotechnological approach.
From an HZDR technology transfer project to a company
On its path to becoming a spin-off, Siderogain successfully applied for support from several technology transfer and startup programs. A key milestone was the commence of a project in the Helmholtz Enterprise spin-off program. The program enabled the team to automate the technology, advance the startup initiative, and prepare for pre-commercial testing in collaboration with industry partners. Since August, the spin-off has also been receiving funding from the EXIST Research Transfer program to further develop the technology, acquire its first customers, and expand the pilot plant into a fully operational prototype.
The transfer of scientific knowledge to the private sector was significantly supported by the HZDR’s technology transfer department and HZDR Innovation GmbH, which supports the center’s research projects during the start-up phase as an incubator and holds now a stake in Siderogain. “This is already the 21st spin-off for the HZDR. This is an outstanding achievement and serves as a model for translating scientific findings into marketable solutions. After all, societal benefit is a central focus of our research,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Sebastian M. Schmidt, Scientific Director of the HZDR.
“Starting with a biotechnology research question, and through laboratory experiments, patenting, and the construction of a pilot plant, a technology has emerged that can contribute to the European raw material security and the circular economy,” says Dr. Katrin Pollmann, head of the biotechnology department at HIF, expressing her delight at the institute’s fourth spin-off to date.
With the formation of Siderogain, the next phase is now beginning: The team aims to develop additional industrial applications and attracts customers and partners to adopt the technology. “With Siderogain, we want to show that industrial wastewater and waste should not only be viewed as a disposal problem, but as a source of raw materials,” says Jain.
Dr. Rohan Jain | CEO and Technical Head
Siderogain GmbH
Phone: +49 351 260 2725 | Email: Siderogain@hzdri.de
Dr. Jonathan Engelhardt | Business Development
Siderogain GmbH
Phone: +49 351 260 2710 | Email: Siderogain@hzdri.de
Dr. Katrin Pollmann | Department Head Biotechnology
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at HZDR
Phone: +49 351 260 2946 | Email: k.pollmann@hzdr.de
The Siderogain team (f.l.t.r. Dr. Peter Boelens, Aratrika Ghosh, Dr. Jonathan Engelhardt and Dr. Roh ...
Quelle: HZDR
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