Swiss biotech startup hephaistos.bio has raised €161,000 from Venture Kick to develop custom enzyme solutions for pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing.
Chemical manufacturing still relies heavily on energy-intensive processes that drive up emissions and leave producers exposed to volatile supply chains. Enzymes offer a cleaner, more efficient alternative, but suitable biocatalysts simply don’t exist for many industrial reactions, especially in pharmaceuticals.
hephaistos.bio is tackling that gap. The company combines computational biology, machine learning, and structural biology to design protein catalysts built around specific industrial processes. Its platform targets chemical reactions that existing solutions handle poorly or not at all, to help manufacturers cut costs, simplify production, and improve sustainability.
The startup was founded by Lukas Radtke, Lucas Merlicek, Jannik Neumann, Moritz Ullhofen, and Ilya Schneider, drawing on expertise across chemistry, biotechnology, machine learning, and industrial applications.
hephaistos.bio is already running a pilot project with SpiroChem, a Swiss contract research organisation, signalling early commercial traction. The company also has a broader ambition: helping pharmaceutical and fine chemical firms reshore production to Europe through more competitive, sustainable manufacturing.
The new funding will go toward expanding the enzyme design platform, building out lab automation, and making the company’s first hires.
The raise comes via Venture Kick, a Swiss initiative that supports early-stage science and technology startups with funding and coaching.
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