“IBF works with many innovative start-ups, and we see a potential in Visibuilt’s technology, visiBINDER, in our paver production,” said Esben Mølgaard, Product Officer of IBF. “We have not seen any nature-based technology like this before. As part of IBF’s strategy to reduce CO2 emissions through more sustainable development, Visibuilt is a strategic partner in achieving our goal. The visiBINDER is a new way to produce paving solutions in Denmark and beyond.”

Founded in 2023 by CEO Line Kloster Pedersen, Visibuilt is pioneering the use of mycelium – the root-like structure of fungi – to develop bio-based binders for infrastructure applications. The company has rapidly gained recognition, including a Danish Design Award and listed on the Norrsken Impact/100 list. With 18 employees, Visibuilt operates its headquarters, laboratories, and production facilities at the Danish Technological Institute and Alfa Laval Innovation House near Copenhagen.

“Partnering with IBF is a key step in scaling our technology to industry standards,” said Sam Garrett, Chief Technology Officer at Visibuilt. “This collaboration allows us to move closer to commercializing visiPAVER, which was most recently succesfully tested at the construction site of Fælledby, Copenhagen, with a 40 squaremeters outdoor bicycle parking area.”

Line Kloster Pedersen, CEO of Visibuilt, added: “We are experiencing overwhelming interest in our patent-pending binder platform, visiBINDER. Strong partnerships are essential to meet the demand, and we are thrilled to work with Denmark’s leading concrete paver producer to perfect our solution for the concrete market and bring our bio-based binder to the next stage.”

This partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter for bio-based paving solutions in Denmark. By combining Visibuilt’s innovative mycelium-based binder with IBF’s expertise in high-quality concrete products, the collaboration sets the stage for natural infrastructure development.

About IBF:
Since 1960, IBF has been a leading provider of concrete solutions for businesses, private clients, and public construction projects in Denmark. Known for innovation, quality, functionality, and aesthetic design, IBF continues to develop new products and technologies to meet the evolving needs of the Danish building sector.

About Visibuilt:
Visibuilt is a Danish startup developing the world’s first mycelium-based binder, visiBINDER, for paving materials. The technology uses mycelium to replace fossil-based binders and cement, offering a bio-based alternative for tomorrow’s infrastructure. Visibuilt has raised 4.7 million euros to date and employs a team of 18 people.

Press contacts:
Cecilie Håkansson
Communications Manager, Visibuilt
cecilie@visibuilt.dk
visibuilt.com

Oleksii Rebrov joined Visibuilt in early 2024, serving first as Head of Science and now CSO, where he has played a key role in driving Visibuilt’s research and technology forward. With a PhD in Physics from Stockholm University and research experience from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and Karolinska Institutet Oleksii possesses a deep scientific background combined with strong strategic and leadership skills. 

Over the past two years, Oleksii has consistently demonstrated responsibility, visionary thinking, and a genuine willingness not only to support but to shape Visibuilt’s mission. His leadership has been instrumental in moving Visibuilt closer to its goal of creating sustainable, mycelium-based materials for the infrastructure of the future. 

Oleksii is strengthening his commitment to Visibuilt by taking on the responsibility of being co-founder, and he will continue as Chief Scientific Officer. 

This strategic move is an important milestone in the company’s journey from start-up to scale-up, providing both additional focus and dedication to Visibuilt’s future growth. 

Line Kloster Pedersen, CEO & Co-founder of Visibuilt, says: 
“Oleksii has demonstrated exceptional leadership and deep alignment with Visibuilt’s mission. His decision to become co-founder marks an important step in securing  leadership and exceptional minds at Visibuilt.

On a personal note, I am truly grateful for Oleksii’s courage and dedication. His curiosity, analytical mind, and integrity make him an invaluable co-creator of Visibuilt’s future.”

Oleksii Rebrov, CSO & Co-founder of Visibuilt, says: 
“It’s an honor to be part of Visibuilt’s journey – working with a great team and seeing this truly exciting concept grow into scalable technology”  

Visibuilt looks forward to continuing the journey with Oleksii as part of the founder team united by a shared ambition to accelerate the development of mycelium-based materials that can make a real difference in tomorrow’s infrastructure. 

Erling Thygesen, CEO of Fælledby, explains: “At Fælledby, we strive wherever possible to promote the green agenda. We want, both directly and indirectly, to help reduce the property sector’s significant climate footprint through testing and implementing new bio-based building materials.

In this context, experimenting with replacing cement or bitumen with a fungal root network as a binder fits perfectly with our ambitions to deliver the most climate-friendly district possible – both during construction and in later operations.”

The product, called visiPAVER, is the world’s first outdoor paver made with Visibuilt’s patent-pending binder, visiBINDER. Developed from the fungal root network mycelium, the binder makes it possible to produce pavers at low temperatures, without fossil resources or cement, and in a safe working environment.

“Today, infrastructure is produced in a highly carbon-intensive way. That’s why it makes a big difference to develop nature-based alternatives that can be manufactured locally,” says Line Kloster Pedersen, CEO and founder of Visibuilt.

“With visiPAVER, we demonstrate how our visiBINDER technology can replace conventional materials in construction projects – for example, concrete pavers. This is only the beginning: the potential goes far beyond pavers. Our technology is a platform that can strengthen supply security for future infrastructure projects.” adds Line Kloster Pedersen, CEO and founder of Visibuilt.

First installation at Fælledby

The new mycelium-based pavers are now being installed publicly for the first time at Fælledby – Copenhagen’s most ambitious district, aiming to use both recycled and bio-based building materials. Fælledby will comprise around 2,000 homes surrounded by nature on all sides. Here, visiPAVER will initially be used as a paving for a shared bicycle parking area.

A step toward natural infrastructure

With visiPAVER, Visibuilt takes an important step toward fossil-free infrastructure. The pavers show how new materials can perform well in practice while contributing to a more nature-integrated approach to urban development.

About Visibuilt

Visibuilt is a Danish startup founded in 2023 by CEO Line Kloster Pedersen. The company is developing the world’s first fungus-based binder for paving materials. The binder, visiBINDER, uses the root-like structure of fungi – mycelium – to create an alternative to fossil-based binders and cement currently used in infrastructure.

The invention has been widely recognized both in Denmark with a Danish Design Award and internationally with Norrsken Impact/100 list. The team consists of 17 employees and has established its headquarters, laboratories, and production facilities at the Danish Technological Institute and Alfa Laval Innovation House near Copenhagen.

Biotechnology Pioneers Join Visibuilt as Investors 

Together, the four investors, Steen Riisgaard, Per Falholt, David Kauffmann, and Thomas G. Schmidt have 150 years’ worth of experience within the field of biotechnology and business development. They have a deep understanding of how to develop and scale a high-risk startup and spinouts into successful companies, from Novozymes (now Novonesis) to AGC Biologics and latest 21st.BIO.

The investment is timely supporting Visibuilt in completing its first product, visiBIT, the first fermentation-based binder for asphalt. The startup will also leverage the capital raise to develop production design to unlock further outdoor field tests. Additionally, Visibuilt plans to recruit more talent for its team in the coming years.

CEO and Founder, Line Kloster Pedersen says:
“We are beyond excited to announce the successful close of our pre-seed round! Over the past year, we have achieved significant milestones that have laid a strong foundation for our innovation. This progress, coupled with the perfect synergy of investor expertise and resources puts Visibuilt in the perfect position to accelerate our journey and deliver on our vision of fungal-based binders to the world”

Investor, Steen Riisgaard says:
“I support Visibuilt because they represent a deeply original and innovative approach to applying biological methods in the asphalt industry. With visiBIT, they offer a more sustainable alternative to the fossil-heavy bitumen. This technology has the potential to reinvent the way we produce asphalt, reduce its environmental impact, and create a more sustainable future for infrastructure.”

New Climate Tech Fund Backs Visibuilt

EMDFonden is an independent Danish enterprise foundation that supports the development of knowledge and technology aimed at reducing global resource use and its associated environmental impact. The foundation owns EMD International, the world’s leading software developer for planning and optimizing wind farms, solar power plants, and district heating systems.

“With the goal of producing environmentally and climate-friendly asphalt, our investment in Visibuilt is a perfect match for EMDFonden,” pronounces Frank Rosager, Chairman of the Board of EMDFonden. 

Consortium of Four Seasoned Investors 

Steen Riisgaard served as President and CEO of Novozymes A/S from its inception in 2000 until 2013, driving its global prominence. He is an active board member in notably the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Corbion and Vice Chair in Novo Holding’s board. 

Per Falholt is a leader in biotechnology and R&D innovation. As EVP of Novozymes for 15 years, he launched more than 200 biotech products to the market. Per is a CSO and Founder of 21st.BIO. 

David Kauffmann is the Founder Partner of European Equity Partners and a seasoned leader in private equity. He played a pivotal role in building AGC Biologics and Aster Cephac into international leaders and successfully facilitated turnarounds and acquisitions, including Azanta’s sale to Norgine. 

Thomas G. Schmidt is the CEO and Founder of 21st.BIO. His experience spans over two decades as a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he worked with clients in pharma, biotech, and agriculture. At 21st.BIO, he enables innovators in biotechnology to scale their solutions. 

About Visibuilt 
Visibuilt is a startup founded in early 2023 by CEO Line Kloster Pedersen. The company is developing the world’s first fermentation-based binder for pavements, utilizing the root-like structure of fungi – mycelium – to create an alternative to bitumen, the fossil-based binder currently used in the asphalt industry. The team now consists of 12 employees and has established its headquarters and laboratories at the Danish Technological Institute outside of Copenhagen. 

Contact 
CEO & Founder: Line Kloster Pedersen  
Email: line@visibuilt.dk  
 
Press Contact: Cecilie Håkansson  
Email: cecilie@visibuilt.dk 
 
Adress:   
Visibuilt ApS   
C/o DTI, Center for Bioressources 

Gregersensvej 1, port 6H  
2630 Taastrup    

Large Construction Site Becomes First Movers 

Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, Northern Europe’s largest construction initiative — a €7.8 billion endeavor to connect Denmark and Germany —saw potential in being the first construction partner to test out Visibuilt’s fermentation-based binder, visiBIT, with lower energy requirements compared to traditional hot mix asphalt. The contractor FLC at the Fehmarnbelt project construction site in Rødbyhavn provided a test area, hereby becoming early adopters of this technology and enabling Visibuilt to test out visiBIT using traditional paving methods. This collaboration allowed Visibuilt to investigate key success criteria: scaling up visiBIT production, ensuring industry-standard quality, and paving with conventional equipment. 

From Laboratory to Fehmarnbelt Tunnel 

In preparation for the test, the Visibuilt team produced visiBIT at their laboratory within the Danish Technological Institute. On September 10th, Visibuilt delivered the binder to NCC’s factory in Maribo, where 3 tons of recycled asphalt mixed with visiBIT were produced on the morning of September 11th. Unlike traditional mixes, which require heating up to 180°C, the visiBIT asphalt was produced without adding heat. The mixture was then transported to the tunnel construction site, where 18 square meters of parking area were paved. The section is continuously being monitored for performance while being subjected to traffic loads. 

Visibuilt’s Head of Science, Oleksii Rebrov, says:  
“The Fehmarnbelt project test is the culmination of many months of preparation. We have pushed ourselves and succeeded in testing visiBIT’s performance on an industrial scale while the product is still in the early development phase. With this crucial understanding from the first real-life field test, we are now ready to finalize visiBIT in the laboratories.”  

Test Results 

In less than three months, Visibuilt successfully scaled up the production to 300 kilograms of visiBIT, which was integrated into NCC’s asphalt production process. The factory produced 2.6 tons of recycled asphalt using visiBIT with minimal changes to existing procedures. Feedback from NCC workers who paved the tunnel’s outdoor parking area with visiBIT was positive; they noted that the paving process was as easy as using traditional mixes and that it was completed within the same timeframe. 

Next Steps 

Two research groups participated in the Fehmarn project. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) will help document the behavior of visiBIT over time. DTU will also conduct field measurements, such as temperature, humidity, and traffic load. Additionally, it will perform tests on extracted specimens in its pavement lab. The University of Copenhagen and the National Research Centre for the Working Environment also took part in the test at Fehmarnbelt project, where they studied the exposure of the NCC workers during paving and will compare the air quality during paving with the visiBIT asphalt to the bitumen-based asphalt. The next steps for Visibuilt are to use the gained knowledge to further improve visiBIT and prepare for future field tests in 2025 and 2026.  

This project was conducted in collaboration with NCC, Femern A/S, Femern Link Contractors (FLC), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the University of Copenhagen (KU), The National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA), We Build Denmark, and Erhvervshus Sjælland. The project is part of Erhvervsfyrtårn Femern co-financed by EU and REACT-EU funds, and the Danish Board of Business Development.

From Venture Lab to Venture House

Venture House is an 18-month program offering additional financial support in the form of a risk-free convertible loan of €1.3 million. The program is aimed at early-stage start-ups that have already participated in BII’s 12-month Venture Lab program and require further support for business acceleration, scientific development, and team building. This means that Visibuilt will receive an additional €1.3 million on top of the € 0.5 million they received during Venture Lab for the further development of visiBIT.

Pioneering the World’s First Fermented Binder for Asphalt

visiBIT is a cutting-edge mycelium binder designed to replace bitumen, the fossil-based binder currently used in asphalt production. Bitumen, a byproduct of crude oil refining, requires extreme temperatures of up to 400 °C for use, significantly contributing to CO2 emissions.

Visibuilt’s innovative solution leverages the fermentation of mycelium – the underground rootlike network of fungi. This novel technology aims to be a plug-and-play solution for the asphalt industry, and enables asphalt production at low temperatures, offering a potential reduction in energy consumption and cutting CO2 emissions.

A Green Transition for an Overlooked Industry

For over 100 years, the asphalt industry has been reliant on bitumen, with limited innovation in finding sustainable alternatives. Existing bio-based solutions can only partially replace bitumen, acting as fillers rather than binders. With 60% of the world’s roads yet to be built by 2050, there is a critical need for more sustainable solutions. Visibuilt aims to meet this demand with visiBIT.

Founder and CEO, Line Kloster Pedersen, says:

“The BioInnovation Institute has accelerated the maturation of Visibuilt from early proof-of-concept to full product research, with a dedicated team behind it and our patent-pending technology being validated with asphalt industry partners. With BII’s continuous support, we will now focus on bringing visiBIT out of the laboratory and into more outdoor field tests with customers.”

From Lab to Real-World Applications

In just 1.5 years, Visibuilt has increased the strength of visiBIT by 300%, making it suitable for asphalt applications initially in bike paths. Outdoor test areas with visiBIT have been constructed this Spring with industry partners.

The next step for Visibuilt is to scale production and hire a Head of Production and two more scientists to facilitate larger-scale testing, moving one step closer to transforming the global asphalt industry.

Further Information

CEO & Founder: Line Kloster Pedersen 
Email: line@visibuilt.dk

Press Contact: Cecilie Håkansson 
Email: cecilie@visibuilt.dk

Adress:  
Visibuilt ApS  
C/o DTI, Center for Bioressources  
Gregersensvej 1, port 6H 
2630 Taastrup  

Purpose of The LOOPER Project

The purpose of the LOOPER project is to further develop and test our groundbreaking new binder for pavement construction – called visiBIT. visiBIT has the potential to considerably reduce the asphalt industry’s dependency on bituminous binders, which are fossil fuel-based, made from crude oil distillation, and increase energy efficiency in production, ultimately reducing CO2e emissions. The LOOPER project’s solution is unique, as it has the potential to transform the asphalt industry and aims to deliver a sustainable alternative that can demonstrate similar performance to current solutions while eliminating fossil fuel
dependency.

Visibuilt’s Solution

Visibuilt’s solution is specifically to create a new type of binder, visiBIT, designed to replace bitumen, to be marketed to asphalt producers, and aims to significantly
reduce energy consumption during the production of both the binder and bitumen-free asphalt.

A Joint Effort

By partnering up with DTU and Munck Asfalt, the visiBIT concept will be further improved. This will first be done under controlled laboratory conditions utilizing
advanced testing equipment. Later, field-scale tests will be made with the visiBIT binder by constructing several test sites and loading them with vehicular traffic;
the test results will inform the future product development at Visibuilt. Munck Asfalt will test the visiBIT solution with their existing construction equipment and the results will be used to further quantify energy savings compared to working with traditional paving materials.

The results of the LOOPER project will be crucial in moving the visiBIT solution further and supporting the asphalt industry in its efforts towards a net-zero future, oil independence, and energy reduction.

Support for LOOPER

This initiative would not have been possible without the support from EUDP – Det Energiteknologiske Udviklings- og Demonstrationsprogram.

Our CEO and founder, Line Kloster Pedersen, describes the importance of the EUDP funding as:

“Our first prototype has been developed in just 5 months in 2023 on a very modest budget. With the funds from the EUDP, we can now accelerate the further development of the sustainable binder, which the asphalt industry is in strong demand for. The world needs more green solutions, and the EUDP funds will make it possible to achieve our goals with a stronger team, establishment of pilot plants, and collaboration with Munck Asfalt and DTU.”

Further Information

Project Manager:
Line Kloster Pedersen, CEO & Founder of Visibuilt ApS
Email: line@visibuilt.dk

Press Contact:
Cecilie Håkansson, Communications Manager at Visibuilt ApS
Email: cecilie@visibuilt.dk 

Adress:
Visibuilt ApS
C/o DTI, Center for Bioressourcer
Gregersensvej 1, port 6H,
2630 Taastrup