Cemvita expands to Brazil

Photo: Business Wire

Cemvita announced Jan. 9 its expansion into Brazil with establishment of a new subsidiary, a move that the company said underscores its long-term commitment to the Brazilian market.

Cemvita is already actively exploring various partnerships in Brazil.

The company is in discussions with several prominent organizations and expects to announce some of these partnerships soon.

As part of its strategy, Cemvita is open to evolving these collaborations into joint ventures or other innovative ventures to further accelerate the bioeconomy.

Brazil’s Fuel of the Future Law, enacted in 2024, strengthens the foundation for the transition to sustainable fuels by mandating progressive measures for biodiesel blending and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption:

• Biodiesel blending: The law mandates an increase in the biodiesel content of diesel fuel, starting from 15 percent (B15) in March 2025, with incremental increases leading to B20 by 2030. This significant step is expected to drive demand for biodiesel production, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and bolster energy independence.

• SAF: The National Program for SAF (ProBioQAV) requires domestic flights to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 1 percent starting in 2027, with an escalation to a 10 percent reduction by 2037. This ambitious initiative cements Brazil’s commitment to revolutionizing aviation with lower-carbon alternatives.

“Brazil’s regulatory framework highlights its visionary leadership in renewable energy,” said Fernando Borba, Cemvita’s director of strategy and business development. “By integrating Cemvita’s biomanufacturing technology, we aim to catalyze a transformative shift in global sustainability, positioning Brazil as a hub for innovations that redefine waste as a resource, driving growth for generations to come.”

Marcio Da Silva, Cemvita’s vice president of innovation, added, “This is all made possible by our innovative technology, which transforms carbon waste into value. Unlike traditional methods, it requires neither a large land footprint nor clean freshwater, ensuring minimal environmental impact. At the same time, it produces high-value green chemicals—such as sustainable oils and biofuels—without competing with the critical resources needed for food production.”

While SAF remains a pivotal application of Cemvita’s bio-oil, it is fundamentally a versatile building block for numerous industries.

Its potential spans personal care (as biobased ingredients), agriculture (as biofertilizers), animal nutrition, and industrial applications such as surfactants, emulsifiers and lubricants.

By producing bio-oil in Brazil, Cemvita aims to meet the rising demand for sustainable raw materials, offering a foundational chemical that powers innovations across sectors while advancing the global circular economy.

Cemvita’s entry into Brazil aligns with the anticipation of COP30, set to be hosted in the country.

As the world’s attention turns to Brazil’s climate leadership, Cemvita’s technologies offer a tangible pathway to address global challenges by creating high-value products like sustainable oils and biofuels from carbon waste streams.

This expansion is not merely a local endeavor but part of Cemvita’s global initiative to leverage Brazil’s expertise and capabilities in the bioeconomy.

By combining Brazil’s rich history in biobased innovation with Cemvita’s advanced synthetic biology, this initiative aims to create solutions for international markets.

Cemvita’s vision is to turbocharge both the Brazilian bioeconomy and its own global impact, supplying sustainable products to international markets and reinforcing its position as a global leader in the bioeconomy.

Cemvita said its approach is rooted in collaboration, with plans to partner with local industries and research institutions to accelerate the adoption of circular bioeconomy principles.

By introducing technologies that convert carbon emissions into feedstock for SAF and other sustainable products, Cemvita said it envisions a future where Brazil becomes not just a leader but a global hub for innovation in sustainable fuels.

“For decades Brazil has pioneered the bioeconomy, and now the time has come to create the future of the circular bioeconomy,” said Cemvita CEO Moji Karimi. “Our vision is to combine the innovation Cemvita is known for with Brazil’s expertise and resources to create an ecosystem where waste becomes opportunity and sustainability drives growth. By joining forces with Brazilian partners, Cemvita aims to build on Brazil’s storied history in the bioeconomy while laying the groundwork for a circular and sustainable future.”