Kemvera, formerly New Iridium, Advances Commercialization of Bio-Acetic Acid and Bio-Ethyl Acetate Manufacturing Process
Kemvera has achieved major process development milestones towards advancing domestic manufacturing of bio-based chemicals and leveraging cost-advantaged U.S. bio-ethanol feedstock while supporting American corn farmers with its advanced chemical manufacturing platform
Rendering of Kemvera’s 50,000 Metric Tons per Year Commercial-Scale Plant
DENVER, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kemvera, a sustainable chemical innovation company, today announced it has completed the process design package (FEL 1) for its planned 50,000 metric tons per year commercial-scale plant. To support scale-up for this commercial facility, Kemvera completed the design for a 500 metric tons per year pre-commercial demonstration reactor and recently commissioned its 20 metric tons per year pilot reactor and validated its robustness by demonstrating continuous operations. These key steps in process development represent significant progress toward commercialization of Kemvera’s bio-based acetic acid and ethyl acetate manufacturing process.
Aligning with the company’s next phase of growth, Kemvera announces that it has been renamed from New Iridium to reflect its vision to scale bio-based chemical solutions using domestic agricultural feedstock.
Kemvera’s proprietary catalytic platform converts bio-based and CO₂-derived feedstocks, such as domestically sourced corn ethanol, into affordable, drop-in chemicals. The platform is rapidly advancing toward commercial readiness, positioning Kemvera to support U.S. farmers, underpin domestic manufacturing, and sustain the United States as a global leader in bio-based chemical production.
Chemical manufacturing is one of the largest segments of U.S. manufacturing, yet much of the feedstock supply is derived from petroleum. According to a 2025 research report, the domestic green chemicals market is projected to reach USD 7.46 billion by 2033, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 7.8% from 2025. To meet this growing demand, Kemvera’s approach integrates partnerships with ethanol producers and agricultural stakeholders to create a vertically connected and sustainable domestic value chain, from Midwest cornfields to industrial end users.
“Having reached these milestones, we are entering a new phase of development that brings us significantly closer to customer delivery. This progress represents the culmination of first-principles-based research and engineering into scalable, affordable chemical production using American-grown feedstocks. This, along with renaming to Kemvera, marks a defining moment for our company,” said Dr. Chern-Hooi Lim, Founder and CEO of Kemvera.
“The Iowa Corn Promotion Board supports the continued development of bio-based chemicals that use domestically grown corn as a feedstock,” said Joe Roberts, President of Iowa Corn Promotion Board, who farms in Belmond, Iowa. “Innovations like this help create new, high-value markets for corn, strengthen rural economies, and build on the success of corn ethanol by expanding domestic bio-manufacturing. Advancing solutions that convert corn into essential industrial products reinforces the role of U.S. agriculture in meeting growing market demand.”
Kemvera envisions the near-term usage of its flagship products, bio-acetic acid and bio-ethyl acetate, in footwear and disinfectants, and later, in a myriad of everyday consumer products. By producing materials from domestic bio-based inputs, Kemvera offers chemical customers and brand owners reliable alternatives to fossil-derived products while reinforcing U.S. supply chain resilience.
Kemvera’s vision aligns with national priorities for domestic manufacturing, agricultural value-add, and U.S. leadership in advanced materials. To support this, the company is raising Series A funding and seeking partnerships with ethanol producers, chemical companies and consumer brands. By anchoring production in renewable American agricultural products, the company seeks to unlock new demand for chemicals made with domestically grown crops, like corn, while reducing reliance on imported and fossil-based chemical products.
About Kemvera
Kemvera delivers sustainable and affordable drop-in chemicals and materials with performance equal to fossil-based products. Our scalable bio-based solutions support domestic manufacturing based on renewable agricultural feedstocks and enhance U.S. supply chain resiliency while enabling chemical manufacturers, distributors, and consumer brands to differentiate their products and strengthen competitiveness by decarbonizing and de-fossilizing supply chains, driving meaningful emissions reduction across the value chain.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a22b5911-3765-4c16-93c6-24721069a87c
Media Contact: Roselle Kingsbury Sr. Brand Strategy & Communications Manager twentytwo & brand Roselle@twentytwoandbrand.com
Rendering of Kemvera’s 50,000 Metric Tons per Year Commercial-Scale Plant
DENVER, CO – Jan. 21, 2026 - Kemvera, a sustainable chemical innovation company, today announced it has completed the process design package (FEL 1) for its planned 50,000 metric tons per year commercial-scale plant.
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