OIST Spin-off Athierra Secures 60 Million Yen in Pre-Seed Funding to Commercialize Low-Carbon Feedstock for SAF
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Overview of Funding
Athierra Inc., a deep-tech startup originating from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), has raised a total of 60 million yen in its pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Lifetime Ventures, with participation from YURI Group, Shinryo Fund, and several angel investors.
About Athierra
Athierra was founded by CEO Shivani Sathish and co-founder Daniel Yee, among others. The company's core technology focuses on bioproduction using microalgae, aiming to produce low-carbon feedstock oil—essential for the manufacturing of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)—in a more cost-effective and scalable manner. Athierra aims to help solve the feedstock supply shortage, which remains a primary bottleneck for decarbonization in the aviation industry.
Purpose of Funding and Future Outlook
The newly raised capital will be primarily allocated to the following initiatives:
- Establishment and validation of microalgae bioproduction technology
- Building partnerships within the SAF value chain
- Strengthening intellectual property strategies
- Developing business infrastructure for pilot deployment and the next funding round
Through these initiatives, the company will drive the establishment of a sustainable and competitively priced supply foundation to support the decarbonization of the aviation industry.
List of Investors
- Lifetime Ventures
- YURI Group
- Shinryo Fund
- Several angel investors