Following our win at the Industrial Biotech Bootcamp 2025, Akin has committed to joining Planet B.io as a resident at the Biotech Campus Delft in May. Planet B.io published a feature interview with CEO Ieva Palubeckaitė covering the company's enzymatic biorefinery platform, the role of the Bootcamp in building the business model from the ground up, and Akin's plans to validate the process at lab scale before integrating into existing recycling infrastructure. Read the full article on the Planet b.io website.

Akin COO Halithan Çetin pitched the Rubber BioRefin platform on BNR Zakendoen's weekly Pitch segment, fielding questions from host Thomas van Zijl and guest assessor Jacqueline van den Ende, co-founder and CEO of Carbon Equity. The conversation covered how enzymatic biorefining can unlock higher-value material recovery from end-of-life tyres, and why biotechnology represents a step change for the rubber recycling industry. Listen to the episode (in Dutch) on bnr.nl.

Akin has become a member of HollandBio, the association representing the Dutch life sciences and biotech sector. The membership connects Akin with the broader Dutch biotech ecosystem and supports engagement with policy developments relevant to industrial biotechnology and sustainable materials.

Akin became a member of Groene Chemie Nieuwe Economie (GCNE), the Dutch network connecting companies and researchers working at the intersection of green chemistry and circular economy. The membership strengthens Akin's position within the Netherlands' industrial biotech and sustainable materials ecosystem.

Akin participated in the 2025 Industrial Biotech Bootcamp, a programme run by Biotech Booster and Planet B.io designed to help early-stage industrial biotech companies become investor-ready. The intensive eight-week programme supported Akin in sharpening its value proposition, technology roadmap, and commercial strategy. This clicked with us so well that we won the pitch competition!

Akin was awarded a €450,000 NWO Take-Off phase 2 loan- the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research's programme supporting entrepreneurial researchers in translating scientific knowledge into commercial ventures. The award provided early validation of the Rubber BioRefine™ platform and supported the company's founding phase.

Akin became a member of the Circular Rubber Platform, the European industry network bringing together recyclers, tire manufacturers, and material innovators working toward a more circular rubber value chain. The membership supports Akin's commercial development and partner engagement across the European rubber recycling sector.

Akin received support from Rabobank ImpactFonds and Provincie Zuid-Holland, reflecting early institutional recognition of the commercial and environmental potential of the Rubber BioRefine™ platform. Read the Rabobank article about our work here.

Akin received a kickstart loan from the Enterprise Leiden Fund, providing early-stage backing that helped establish the foundations of the company and the Rubber BioRefine™ platform.