About

Introduction

Our journey

How discovering olive pomace led to an anti-wrinkle ingredient

The seeds of Gaia Tech were sown in an olive grove. During his master's thesis at ETH Zurich, our founder Claudio Reinhard was investigating how to use biochar to improve soil conditions in Tunisia. He stumbled upon piles of olive pomace, discarded by the oil industry despite being rich in valuable compounds like antioxidants. This insight evolved into the "Phenoliva" research project (2019–2022), funded by EIT Food. Leading a consortium of researchers, the team proved they could extract potent antioxidants from olive waste, turning an environmental burden into a sustainable resource. Realizing the technology had potential far beyond just olives, the team officially spun off from ETH Zurich to launch Gaia Tech. Today, we use our proprietary technology to upcycle tons of agricultural side-streams into sustainable alternatives.

Research 2019 EIT Phenoliva

Founded 2023 ETH Spin-off

TIMELINE

From lab bench to market entry

Our journey from academic research to industry leadership

2019

The Beginning: Phenoliva Research Project

The "Phenoliva" project kicks off at ETH Zurich, led by Claudio Reinhard and funded by EIT Food. The team validates the technology for extracting antioxidants from olive pomace.

2021

Legal Foundation

Gaia Technologies GmbH was founded as a legal entity and deliverable of the EIT Food research project.

2022

Early Support & Vision Expansion

We secure critical early-stage support, winning the Startlife and Venture Kick financial and entrepreneurial support. The team expands its vision to include other agricultural raw materials.

2023

ETH Spin-off & Pre-Seed Round, Migros Pioneer Funds

Gaia Tech became an official ETH spin-off and successfully closed its pre-seed funding round backed by initial investors, and received support from the Migros Pioneer Fund. The legal entity transitioned from GmbH to Gaia Tech AG, and the full founding team went fully operational.

Present

Market Entry & Industry Collaboration

We are actively collaborating with industry leaders to introduce our Phenoliva line and new upcycled ingredients to the global market.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Your team for upcycling innovation

Our cross-disciplinary team combines the skills to unlock the potential of agricultural byproducts. Get in touch with us if you would like to explore what is in the innovation pipeline.

Claudio Reinhard

Chief Executive Officer

Mechanical engineer passionate about circular economy and leading international projects.

Enrico Tenaglia PhD

Chief Scientific Officer

Biomolecular scientist with a strong drive for translating research into viable real-life solutions.

Samuel Bühlmann

Chief Operating Officer

Business and marketing specialist with a track record of running projects in the agrifood sector.

Julie Queffelec PhD

Chemical Specialist

Chemical Engineer with extensive research and lab experience in natural bioactive compounds.

Migros Pioneer Fund

Made possible by Migros Pioneer Fund

The Migros Pioneer Fund supports sustainable solutions for societal challenges with the goal of initiating systemic change towards a future-oriented society. The impact-oriented funding approach combines financial support with active funding and risk management.

The fund is part of the social commitment of the Migros Group and has an annual budget of approximately CHF 15 million. The Migros Pioneer Fund is supported by companies such as Denner, Migros Bank, Migrol, migrolinio and Ex Libris.

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