Aviation technology startup Metafuels has raised $24 million in a Series A funding round to speed up the rollout of its synthetic sustainable aviation fuel technology, the company announced, ESGtoday reported.
The Zurich-based firm is developing a process that converts green methanol into jet fuel, aiming to provide airlines with a lower-emissions alternative to fossil fuels. Aviation fuel is responsible for most of the sector’s carbon output, and while sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is viewed as a key solution, production remains limited.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF output nearly doubled in 2025 but still accounted for only 0.6% of total airline fuel use. Industry efforts to expand supply have been slowed by high upfront costs and limited availability of feedstocks such as waste oils and agricultural residues.
Founded in 2021, Metafuels uses captured carbon dioxide and green hydrogen to produce synthetic jet fuel, often referred to as e-SAF. The company says its approach reduces reliance on scarce waste-based materials, potentially easing supply constraints that have challenged other SAF production methods.
The fresh funding will help advance construction of a methanol-to-jet demonstration plant in Switzerland. It will also support plans for a commercial-scale facility at the Port of Rotterdam, where Metafuels intends to produce its “aerobrew” e-SAF fuel. The Rotterdam project would mark the first industrial-scale deployment of the company’s technology.
Chief Executive Officer Saurabh Kapoor said the company’s goal is to make sustainable aviation fuel viable at large scale and competitive in cost, allowing airlines to reduce emissions without altering their operations.
The funding round was led by UVC Partners, with participation from existing investors including Energy Impact Partners, Contrarian Ventures, RockCreek, Verve Ventures, and Fortescue Ventures.
Johannes von Borries, Managing Partner at UVC Partners, said the investment supports a technology with the potential to scale production and lower the cost of sustainable aviation fuel to make it a practical alternative to conventional jet fuel.
