Belgian biosurfactants developer AmphiStar has secured funding to accelerate the sustainable surfactant revolution in the beauty industry.WHO: Ghent-based biotech start-up AmphiStar, founded in 2021 by Sophie Roelants, Bernd Everaert, Karolien Maes, and Sofie De Maeseneire, develops sustainable microbial biosurfactants from waste as eco-friendly alternatives to fossil and palm oil-based products. The start-up utilizes synthetic biology to develop customized biosurfactants for specific applications, providing high-performance, environmentally friendly solutions for industries such as personal care and household cleaning. WHY: The company will use the investment to scale the production of its existing products, AmphiCare and AmphiClean, and launch new novel biosurfactants from its proprietary platform to market.IN THEIR OWN WORDS: AmphiStar CEO Pierre-Franck Valentin said, “This funding reflects the confidence that EIC has in AmphiStar’s ability to transform one of the key chemical markets. With growing consumer pressure on industry to offer less harmful products, the financial support ensures that we will continue to lead the way in replacing environmentally damaging synthetic surfactants with bio-based alternatives that retain functionality and performance while being kind to people and our wider ecosystem.”AmphiStar COO Sophie Roelants stated, "This funding success enables us to take the next steps in AmphiStar’s journey to commercialisation.