Cattle have a bad reputation as climate offenders because they emit methane, a particularly harmful greenhouse gas. Fortunately, this can be significantly reduced using a feed additive developed by the Hamburg-based startup Fermeta, whilst at the same time increasing milk production.
Stories
September 22, 2026
Less methane, more milk: how Fermeta is making cows climate-friendly
Cows being fed © Pixabay
Optimal feed conversion with serious side effects
A diet consisting solely of grass would be harmful to a human, because their simple stomach can only digest this plant-based food to a limited extent. Ruminants, on the other hand, have a stomach comprising four chambers, which is designed to make the best possible use of grass. This is achieved, amongst other things, by microorganisms in the rumen, which are able to extract valuable nutrients from cellulose, a substance that is otherwise difficult to break down, through fermentation, amongst other processes. The downside is that another product of the fermentation process is methane, which, according to the Federal Environment Agency, is 28 times more harmful to the climate than CO2.
Accounting for 76 per cent of emissions, agriculture is the largest source of methane in Germany. The main culprit is the most common ruminant: the cow. So there is a grain of truth in the tongue-in-cheek claim that burping cows are to blame for climate change. Now, it’s hardly possible to wean the animals off burping – but perhaps we could encourage the microorganisms to produce less methane? The startup Fermeta provides a positive answer to this question. Its founder, Niklas Koch, did not work in either organic farming or agricultural technology at the start of his career, even though he comes from a predominantly agricultural region of Schleswig-Holstein.
Niklas Koch, founder and CEO of Fermeta © Mathias Jäger/Hamburg Startups:
Startup rather than sales: Niklas’s journey as a founder
Germany’s northernmost federal state is also known for its internationally successful handball teams. Niklas himself even once made it into the national team’s extended squad in this sport. He initially studied business administration, specialising in logistics, in Baden-Württemberg, and then went on to study entrepreneurship in Sweden, where he completed his master’s degree. In that Scandinavian country, he worked for a while in the sales department of a software company, with considerable success. However, he soon realised that he had an entrepreneurial spirit within him that went beyond the brief thrill of closing a deal. He was striving for a sense of purpose in his business life.
Whilst searching for job vacancies that better suited his interest in entrepreneurship, he came across a LinkedIn post in 2021 from Infinite Roots, which was still called Mushlabs at the time. The role on offer was titled ‘Founder’s Associate’; he successfully applied for it, and it brought him back to Germany – to Hamburg, to be precise. The team at the startup, which develops innovative food products from mycelium – the fungal network – consisted of only around ten people at the time. Niklas therefore joined at an early stage and worked closely with the founder, Dr Mazen Rizk.
Looking back, Niklas regards his time at Infinite Roots as a sort of “startup PhD”, during which he learnt a great deal about building a business and was able to take on many varied and responsible roles. He also familiarised himself with the world of biotech. By 2024, when Infinite Roots had secured a funding round of 58 million US dollars and employed around 80 staff, his “PhD programme” was complete and he was ready to launch his own startup.
A diagram of a methane molecule, CH₄ © ChatGPT
With Fermeta, cows emit less methane
However, he still lacked that spark of inspiration, so he took part in a programme run by the venture builder Carbon13 in Berlin, which focuses on developing technologies and business models in the field of climate protection. There he met a vet who brought with him the original idea for reducing methane emissions in cattle. Together with another team member, they developed this into the business model for Fermeta. The vet ultimately decided against becoming an entrepreneur and remained committed to research, so Niklas initially pursued the idea as a solopreneur. For some time now, he has also had a like-minded partner by his side, a former colleague from Infinite Roots who is driving Fermeta forward with his expertise in fermentation.
In 2025, funding from the InnoRampUp programme of the IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH created a financial basis, and Carbon13 also provided some initial support. This gave Fermeta more time to develop its product, which was initially jokingly referred to as an ‘energy drink for cows’, but is now also designed as a dry feed additive. It contains postbiotics, the health-promoting metabolic by-products of microorganisms. These ensure that the fermentation process in the rumen runs more effectively, meaning it produces less methane and generates more energy, which in turn boosts milk production.
Niklas Koch at the pitch at Wacken © WOA
Increasing milk production is a crucial factor
The second point, in particular, is of crucial importance for marketing, as simply reducing methane emissions is not enough as a selling point. Farms are under enormous pressure, particularly with regard to milk prices; at times, they can barely cover their costs. Bovaer, a feed additive available since 2022, promises a similar effect to Fermeta in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, its use is costly and has no positive impact on milk production or meat quality, which is why Bovaer has not yet gained widespread acceptance.
The market is therefore open to Fermeta. A patent application is pending, and a field trial in collaboration with the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Agriculture is planned for the near future. To date, the efficacy of the postbiotics has been demonstrated in a simulation using rumen fluid in a fermenter. Conditions very similar to those in a cattle’s rumen are recreated there, so a successful field trial can be expected. Once this has been completed, regulatory approval should not pose a major hurdle, meaning that market entry next year appears realistic.
In the meantime, Fermeta can still showcase itself at some pitch events, such as the Wacken Startup Battle at the end of July 2026, which took place as part of the legendary rock festival. Niklas secured first place there, and a few weeks later at the Zebra Investment Night a funding commitment of 25,000 euros. These are signs that Fermeta’s idea is being understood and embraced.
Niklas Koch explains the concept of Fermeta © Markus Hertrich
Fermeta stands up for farmers
Of course, Niklas is sometimes asked whether giving up beef consumption might not be the far more climate-friendly alternative, and whether his product is supporting an industry that is no longer in step with the times. The answer to this is that a complete shift in consumer behaviour is not a realistic scenario in the foreseeable future, and that alternatives such as those offered by Infinite Roots cannot fully replace meat and dairy products. Therefore, changing production conditions to prioritise climate protection is the most promising approach in the short term.
“Being a farmer is one of the most fulfilling professions there is. You sow, you harvest, you work with animals, you’re out in the fresh air. And yet, from a business perspective, it’s one of the riskiest sectors of all, with crop failures, fluctuating prices and weather over which you have no control,” says Niklas. Agricultural businesses are often criticised for being among the biggest drivers of climate change. Yet they are among the first to feel its effects – and particularly acutely so: in the form of crop failures and rising costs for diesel, fertiliser and more. According to Niklas, no one therefore has a greater interest in taking countermeasures. This is precisely why Fermeta provides them with a biotech tool: it is easy to use and even promises benefits, both for the farm and for its reputation. After all, that is another aim of the startup: to show that farmers are far better at protecting the environment than their reputation suggests.
