Neela Biotech raises £2.1m pre-seed for waste-derived aviation fuel
Elbow Beach leads funding to move the Cambridge company’s microbial process toward pilot trials.
Neela Biotech announced a £2.1 million pre-seed round on 8 October 2026, led by Elbow Beach. Ascension, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Ventures Together and strategic angels also participated.
The company uses AI-guided microbes to convert food, agricultural and forestry waste into fatty acids suitable for sustainable aviation fuel production. It aims to install its process in existing biogas plants and supply feedstock to established refining processes.
The financing will support scale-up toward a pilot trial. Founded by Deepanshu Singh and Friederike Nintzel, the Cambridge business is developing an approach that could expand the range of waste materials available to fuel producers.