Metafuels raises $24M to bring synthetic aviation fuel to market at scale

Metafuels is a Zurich-based aviation technology company developing proprietary sustainable fuel technologies, with an initial focus on synthetic aviation fuel. Metafuels’ aerobrew process converts renewable methanol into jet fuel with ultra-high carbon efficiency, delivering up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions than fossil kerosene. The company’s fuels are fully compatible with existing aircraft and airport infrastructure, providing a direct, scalable pathway to aviation decarbonisation.

The investment round announced this week is led by UVC Partners, with strong participation from existing investors including Energy Impact Partners (EIP), Contrarian Ventures, RockCreek, Verve Ventures, and Fortescue Ventures. The financing underscores investor confidence in Metafuels’ move from breakthrough technology to first-of-a-kind commercial plants and a repeatable industrial model.

Metafuels is currently preparing its methanol-to-jet demonstration plant at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland for operation, while advancing Turbe, its first commercial e-SAF facility in the Port of Rotterdam. Turbe is intended to be the initial commercial deployment of the aerobrew technology and a blueprint for future large-scale plants aligned with ReFuelEU Aviation and emerging global mandates from 2030 onward.

Decarbonising the aviation sector remains a critical challenge. The sector accounts for over 2% of global CO₂ emissions – some 800 million tonnes. When accounting for additional greenhouse gases and complex climate co-factors resulting from the nature and altitude of emissions, the sector’s total contribution to global warming rises to approximately 3.5%.

Metafuels’ cost leadership

Metafuels focuses on the methanol-to-jet route to sustainable aviation fuel, a synthetic pathway that converts renewable methanol into drop-in jet fuel. Renewable methanol can be produced either from sustainable biomass or by using renewable electricity and water to make green hydrogen, which is then combined with captured carbon – making methanol one of the most scalable intermediates available for aviation decarbonization.

Metafuels’ differentiator is cost leadership, achieved through the ability to convert e-methanol into e-SAF with a significantly higher yield, ensuring a more efficient and cost-effective process. Metafuels’ signature e-SAF, aerobrew, can replace conventional kerosene regardless of the size, type of aircraft, and short-haul or long-haul flights. Metafuels’ fuels are fully compatible with existing aircraft, engines and airport infrastructure. 

Industrial readiness and regulatory alignment:

This funding round comes at a critical point for the e-SAF sector. Regulations such as ReFuelEU Aviation are creating clear, long-term demand, while the ASTM accreditation process for methanol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) – the fuel produced by aerobrew – is progressing towards completion, with approval expected in early 2026. This certification is required for large-scale commercial offtake and is a key enabler for investment in synthetic fuel production.

With projects progressing in Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, Metafuels is positioned to support the next phase of SAF deployment as regulatory requirements and market demand accelerate through the 2030s.“This investment round is about progressing the implementation of this unique technology that has the potential to scale and drive down costs of SAF up to a point where it becomes an economical alternative to fossil fuel, ” said Johannes von Borries, Managing Partner at UVC Partners. “Metafuels has the potential to drive that shift – fundamentally changing how aviation grows and how people think about flying.”

(PR)