Our Journey

Idea. Vision. Realization.

From an experiment to industrial production

In the last few years, ecoduna has succeeded in developing the world’s first sustainable and continuous algae production system. These patented photobioreactors are producing microalgae biomass 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The ecoduna technology was launched after years of research and development and brought to series maturity for industrial production at a demonstration plant.

The financing through mainly private investors, especially the Bruck / Leitha energy park, as well as national and European subsidies enabled the first industrial plant to be opened in 2018.

Through the funding by predominantly private investors, in particular our partners of the “Energiepark Bruck/Leitha” as well as Austrian and European development funds, ecoduna was able to open the first industrial plant in Bruck/Leitha.

But how did the success story of ecoduna started?

  • The idea

    At the very beginning of ecoduna the two founders Franz Emminger and Martin Mohr started with the idea in their mind to create biodiesel out of algae biomass. The worldwide search for an efficient production process started and ended up with the realization that there was no effective and sustainable technology available together with the realization that the ingredients of algae are too valuable to produce only bio-diesel.
  • The first prototype

    Franz Emminger und Martin Mohr developed the first prototype to produce algae with a sustainable closed system

  • RIZ Genius Award 1st place

    The project receives the 1st place at the RIZ Genius Award „Energy from algae“

  • Company foundation

    The company “ecoduna” was founded by Franz Emminger and Martin Mohr in 2010 in Bruck/Leitha (Austria) – since then, the process of production and the technology have been further developed, refined and patented worldwide.

  • Award

    Award for outstanding innovations by the province of Lower Austria

  • Award WKNOE

    Award for technical innovation by the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce

  • Project Senftenberg

    Construction of the first pilot project in Senftenberg (Germany) for the energy concern “Vattenfall”

  • R&D plant Bruck/L.

    Construction of the first demonstration plant in Bruck/Leitha, making possible, for the first time, procedural testing of a live operation and establishing the basis for the development of technical and commercial maturity.

  • Project Kalundborg

    Construction of the second pilot project in Kalundborg (Denmark) for the Danish pharmaceutical company “Novo Nordisk” for the treatment of wastewater

  • Award 1st place „Zukunftspreis“

    The Governor of Lower Austria, Dr. Erwin Pröll honoured ecoduna with the “Zukunftspreis – Meilenstein 2012“ – 1st place

  • Company Foundation of ecoduna AG

    Company Foundation of the stock corporation „ecoduna AG“

  • Energy Globe World Award 1st place

    ecoduna receives the ENERGY GLOBE WORLD AWARD 2013 (Category FIRE) – 1st place

  • Energy Globe World Award 1st place

    ecoduna receives the ENERGY GLOBE WORLD AWARD 2013 (Category FIRE) – 1st place

  • Company Foundation of eparella GmbH

    Company Foundation of „eparella GmbH“

  • „ÖGUT“ Award 1st place

    Environment award “ÖGUT” for Dr. Silvia Fluch (COO of ecoduna) „Woman in environmental technology“ – 1st place

  • Groundbreaking ceremony eparella

    In December 2016 ecoduna celebrates the groundbreaking ceremony of the first industrial plant “eparella”

  • Company merge

    Company merge of „ecoduna produktions-GmbH“ and „eparella GmbH“ to “eparella GmbH”

  • Construction start eparella

    The construction of the first industrial plant started on the 15th of April, 2017

  • Grand opening eparella

    After only 11 months construction time, ecoduna celebrates together with more than 500 guests the grand opening of the 1 hectare sized plant.

  • Re-establishment as Jongerius ecoduna GmbH

    After the Corona-related insolvency of the joint stock company, ecoduna was newly taken over by a Dutch young plant breeder and re-established as Jongerius ecoduna GmbH. This allowed the algae production to remain and continue its mission to provide people with high quality algae.

  • A few into the future

    A view into the future At ecoduna, we want to focus on issues like overfishing, climate change or global nutrition, and want to make a green contribution to tomorrow’s society with our products.

    Together with customers and institutions, we develop and research the future applications and effects of microalgae and their ingredients.

    In the future, we would like to use our microalgae primarily in the food sector, so that as many people as possible have access to our nutrient-rich and high-quality product.