Green Technology

BioMetallica HK Limited

🌍 Official Website 🏢 HKSTP Source
68 Potential

Decision Maker

N/A
enquiry.marketing@hkstp.org
+852 2629 1818
5/F, Building 5E, 5 Science Park East Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park
Raw Description
Product | Technology | Through synthetic biology, we have engineered a bacterial strain that recovers precious metals from e-waste and spent catalysts more efficiently than ever before. Our process uses bioleaching - a biological and natural method of extracting metals, but with a powerful twist. We have enhanced our bacterial strain to produce 70% more biogenic leaching solution than its natural counterpart. This allows us to recover platinum, palladium and other valuable metals from e-waste, spent catalysts and other end-of-life products with efficiencies greater than 90% while reducing chemical usage by a staggering 90%. || Description | BioMetallica is a sustainable manufacturing and recycling deeptech startup that utilises synthetic biology to recycle precious metals from various waste sources, including electronic waste, spent catalysts, mine tailings, and lithium-ion battery waste.

Strategic Analysis

Executive Brief

BioMetallica HK Limited is a deeptech startup leveraging synthetic biology to revolutionize the circular economy. By engineering bacterial strains for enhanced bioleaching, they recover precious metals (Platinum, Palladium, and Lithium) from complex waste streams like e-waste and spent catalysts. Their process achieves over 90% recovery efficiency while significantly reducing the environmental footprint of traditional chemical leaching.

Strategic Fit & Lead Score

Lead Score: 68/100 (Adjacent Tech / Strong Potential)

Why this Score? While BioMetallica focuses on the biological side of metal recovery, the "back-end" of their process—specifically the electrochemical recovery of dissolved metals and real-time monitoring of metal ions in corrosive bio-slurries—is a prime application for Boron Doped Diamond (BDD). 6C's BDD technology offers an electrochemical potential window wider than any metal electrode, enabling the selective recovery of precious metals and high-sensitivity sensing in complex biological fluids where standard sensors fail due to fouling.

6C Solutions Proposal

Application Area 6C Solution Technical Value Prop
Electrochemical Recovery BDD Electrodes High Selectivity: BDD’s wide potential window (approx. 3V) allows for the precise electrolytic deposition of Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) from the leaching solution without the parasitic reaction of water electrolysis.
Process Monitoring BDD Electrochemical Sensors Anti-Fouling: Bio-leaching solutions are "dirty" with proteins and bacteria. BDD surfaces resist bio-fouling and chemical degradation, enabling real-time, in-situ monitoring of PGM concentrations < 1 ppm.
Effluent Treatment BDD Advanced Oxidation Mineralization: If the bio-leaching broth contains residual organic toxins or non-recyclable bio-byproducts, BDD anodes can mineralize these organics into CO2 via hydroxyl radical production.
Reactor Hardware CVD Diamond Coating Chemical Inertness: Coating high-wear or high-corrosion components in the bio-reactor with PCD ensures zero metal contamination from the reactor itself, maintaining the >99% purity of recovered metals.
Lab Infrastructure 9N Hydrogen Generators Pure Atmosphere: Support for synthetic biology R&D and anaerobic chamber environments requiring ultra-high purity Hydrogen (99.9999999%).

Engagement Hooks

  • Technical Question: "As you scale your bioleaching efficiency to 90%, how are you managing electrode fouling and the narrow electrochemical window of traditional materials during the final metal recovery (electrowinning) phase?"
  • Value Statement: "6C can help BioMetallica transition from batch bio-recovery to continuous, sensor-driven production by implementing Boron Doped Diamond electrodes that are immune to bio-fouling and chemically inert in aggressive leaching environments."