Kemvera, a sustainable chemical innovation company, has announced a major step toward commercialization of its bio-based chemicals, completing the process design package (FEL 1) for a planned 50,000 metric tons per year commercial-scale plant.

 

To prepare for full-scale production, Kemvera finalized the design for a 500 metric tons per year pre-commercial demonstration reactor and recently commissioned its 20 metric tons per year pilot reactor, demonstrating continuous operations to validate its robustness. These milestones mark significant progress in Kemvera’s efforts to produce bio-based acetic acid and ethyl acetate.

 

In line with its growth strategy, the company has rebranded from New Iridium to Kemvera, reflecting 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 technology is advancing rapidly toward commercial readiness, supporting U.S. farmers, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and reinforcing the United States as a leader in bio-based chemical production.

 

“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 Chern-Hooi Lim, Founder and CEO of Kemvera.

 

Chemical manufacturing is one of the largest segments of US industry, yet much of its feedstock comes from petroleum. 

 

A 2025 report projects the domestic green chemicals market to reach $7.46 billion by 2033, growing at 7.8% annually from 2025. To meet this demand, Kemvera is building a vertically integrated, sustainable domestic value chain—from Midwest cornfields to industrial end users—through partnerships with ethanol producers and agricultural stakeholders.

 

“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 the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and a farmer 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’s flagship products, bio-acetic acid and bio-ethyl acetate, are expected to enter consumer markets first in footwear and disinfectants, with applications expanding to a wide range of everyday products. By producing chemicals from domestic bio-based inputs, Kemvera provides reliable alternatives to fossil-derived materials while reinforcing U.S. supply chain resilience.

 

The company is raising Series A funding and seeking partnerships with ethanol producers, chemical companies, and consumer brands to scale production. Anchoring its operations in renewable American crops, Kemvera aims to unlock new demand for domestically made chemicals and reduce reliance on fossil- and imported-based products.