Hamburg’s InnoRampUp programme, the funding arm of the city’s Investment and Development Bank (IFB), has awarded €150,000 in equity-free financing to Fermeta, a deep-tech startup from Berlin Cohort of Carbon13’s Venture Builder Programme developing an “energy drink for cows.” The grant is aimed at accelerating Fermeta’s path toward regulatory approval as it prepares to scale feeding trials and bring its product to market.
Farmers can drastically cut enteric methane output
Hamburg’s InnoRampUp programme, the funding arm of the city’s Investment and Development Bank (IFB), has awarded €150,000 in equity-free financing to Fermeta, a deep-tech startup from Berlin Cohort of Carbon13’s Venture Builder Programme developing an “energy drink for cows.” The grant is aimed at accelerating Fermeta’s path toward regulatory approval as it prepares to scale feeding trials and bring its product to market.
Fermeta’s innovation targets one of agriculture’s most stubborn climate challenges: methane emissions from cattle. By supplementing feed with its formula, the company says farmers can drastically cut enteric methane output while simplifying the feeding process: Lowering costs and improving profit margins in the process. The solution directly aligns with Hamburg’s focus on backing startups that contribute to the United Nations’ climate goals.
Niklas Koch, Fermeta’s co-founder and CEO, welcomed the support: “Being from Hamburg, and active in the local startup ecosystem for half a decade, I’m proud to receive this backing from the city. It’s key for us to hit the next milestones and work toward our ambitious goal of actively reducing enteric methane emissions from 2026 onward.”
The funding marks another step in Hamburg’s bid to strengthen its role as a hub for climate tech and deep-tech innovation.
Fermeta’s Cofounder and CEO Niklas Koch presenting at Carbon13’s Climate Innovation Showcase Day in London in January 2025.