Nouvelle-Aquitaine is one of the regions where the use of agricultural resources and the development of bio-based ingredients are advancing rapidly, with 455 companies, 13,000 jobs, and 3.1 billion euros in revenue in the cosmetics industry.
Scaling Up Biopolymers in Mérignac
Dionymer, based in Mérignac, raised 7 million euros in a seed round in February 2026 from UI Investissement, BNP Paribas Development, Bpifrance (French Tech Seed), Naco (M Capital), and its long-standing investors. The company has scaled up its technology from 10 kg/year to 1 metric ton/year through the installation of a pre-industrial pilot plant and is preparing an industrial demonstrator capable of producing 100 metric tons per year.
Proteomic Objectification and Agricultural Biosolutions
Elysia Bioscience, based in Canéjan, uses proteomic analysis to evaluate cosmetic ingredients and test alternative biosolutions to pesticides. The company co-organized the second edition of Cosm’Agri Business on June 9, 2026, bringing together more than 170 participants to help develop local, eco-designed supply chains.
Cosmoya, an R&D laboratory founded in 2021 in Canéjan by Marie-Odile Hecht, now has seven employees, more than 100 clients, and carries out nearly 70 R&D projects per year. The company is conducting a program with the Cbmn laboratory at the University of Bordeaux, supported by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region as part of the PIA4 — France 2030 initiative, aimed at reducing the amount of UV filters needed in sunscreen products while maintaining protection.
Thomas Hennebel, CEO of Dionymer, said: «This round of funding validates our business strategy and gives us the resources to accelerate the market launch of circular, high-performance, and competitive materials. We are now entering the industrial demonstration phase with a clear goal: to scale up and meet our customers» specific needs.”
Marie-Odile Hecht, founder and CEO of Cosmoya, says: «I founded Cosmoya with the conviction that innovation in cosmetics could be both scientifically rigorous and deeply meaningful. Five years later, we’ve remained true to that same ambition: to bridge the gap between research, the needs of manufacturers, and consumer expectations.»
Next industrial milestone: Dionymer is following a roadmap aimed at establishing a plant with a capacity of at least 1,000 metric tons per year by 2030, with the preparation of the 100-metric-ton-per-year demonstration plant serving as the immediate operational milestone.
