NitroCapt, a Swedish climate-tech startup founded in 2016 by physicist and farmer Gustaf Forsberg alongside chemist Peter Baeling, is on a mission to decarbonize the nitrogen fertilizer industry. Their proprietary SUNIFIX® process produces nitrate fertilizers using only air, water, and renewable electricity—completely bypassing fossil fuels. This innovation comes at a critical time, as traditional nitrogen fertilizer production emits over 500 million tons of CO₂ annually, comparable to global aviation emissions.
The concept for NitroCapt began a decade earlier when Forsberg, intrigued by NOx reduction in automotive systems, envisioned a cleaner nitrogen fixation process. With Baeling’s chemical expertise, the duo devised a plasma-based process that mimics lightning’s natural nitrogen fixation. The resulting SUNIFIX® technology converts atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen into nitrate through high-temperature plasma, achieving efficiencies nearing the physical minimum energy requirement of 0.66 kWh/kgN—surpassing the 7.6 kWh/kgN required by the century-old Haber-Bosch process.
NitroCapt’s journey has been supported by strong institutional partnerships and public recognition. In 2018, it joined EIT InnoEnergy’s Highway programme, securing early development funding. By 2020, it had proven the concept and filed patents for its high-pressure plasma reactor. A major breakthrough came in 2022 with a €2.8 million pre-seed round backed by LRF Ventures, ALMI Invest GreenTech, InnoEnergy, and SLU Holding. €1 million of this was awarded in grants. These funds enabled the construction of a pilot plant and expansion of the technical team.
In the same year, NitroCapt formed a strategic partnership with Lantmännen, Sweden’s largest agricultural cooperative, to explore integration of its green fertilizer with local farms. The company has also attracted attention from VIVESCIA, a French agricultural group overseeing 750,000 hectares of farmland, and has secured letters of intent for 33 full-scale reactor units with potential revenue exceeding €1 billion.
NitroCapt’s headquarters at Green Innovation Park in Uppsala houses labs and production spaces, supporting its 20-person team. The firm has garnered accolades including Startup4Climate winner (2022), multiple appearances in Ny Teknik’s “33 Hottest Tech Startups,” and Top 3 placement in Sweden Foodtech innovation rankings.
As the European Union mandates that 42% of fertilizers be green by 2027 under the RED III directive, NitroCapt stands at the forefront with scalable, modular reactors designed for decentralized fertilizer production. This localized approach not only reduces emissions but enhances food security in regions vulnerable to global supply disruptions.
Looking ahead, NitroCapt aims to scale its reactors and integrate advanced heat recovery systems to push energy efficiency even further. If successful, it could fundamentally alter the global fertilizer landscape and reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint for generations to come.
Competing Green Fertilizer Startups: A Growing Field
NitroCapt operates in an emerging space of climate-tech innovators aiming to disrupt the traditional fertilizer industry. Key competitors include:
Nitricity (USA): Based in California, Nitricity uses solar-powered plasma reactors to create nitric acid fertilizer directly at farms. Their decentralized approach mirrors NitroCapt’s goals of reducing carbon footprints and transport reliance.
Pivot Bio (USA): Rather than replacing synthetic fertilizers, Pivot Bio uses genetically engineered microbes to fix nitrogen directly on plant roots. Backed by major investors like Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, it provides a biological alternative to chemical fertilizers.
Atmonia (Iceland): This startup is developing electrochemical ammonia synthesis from air and water using renewable energy, targeting green ammonia as an alternative to fossil-fuel-intensive methods.
Nium (Australia): Focused on green ammonia and nitrate production via electrolysis, Nium is building modular, scalable systems that aim to serve regional agricultural markets.
Each of these companies, like NitroCapt, emphasizes decentralization, sustainability, and affordability. However, NitroCapt’s unique plasma-based nitrate production—bypassing the ammonia stage entirely—positions it as a leader in energy efficiency and environmental impact.
Photo: NitroCapt – A SUNIFIX plant has small needs and a big impact: only one 10 MW unit fixates up to ~8000 tons of elementary nitrogen.
