Bioo - the startup that's merging nature and technology

by Startacus Admin
The innovative Spanish startup on a mission to help us have a greener future by disrupting how we can source electricity from nature...
It’s no secret that we are in need of a sustainable source of energy that doesn’t contribute to the destruction of the planet. We have wind farms, solar farms, hydroelectric whatsits, and a drive to improve on these and the batteries that store the power they create. We also have a growing population and more and more need for power - be it streaming your Playstation 5 to your Playstation 4 on your 4K TV, putting the heating on for longer as the weather gets worse, or simply a growing population switching on their lights.
The current methods of renewable, non-impactful energy production are not sufficient and often themselves aren’t the greenest - South Korea felling 2 million trees over the last few years for their solar farms, for example - and so we need to keep reiterating and improving.
Which is where Spanish startup Bioo comes in. Bioo understands that energy production is going on under our feet all the time - microorganisms feeding on organic matter in the earth.
The process is pretty simple: the Bioo battery is an enclosed device buried underground, in which those microorganisms feed on organic matter, producing protons and electrons. The protons and electrons are collected by the cathode and anode, and we have a working battery. For now, this can be used to power lights and sensors to replace agricultural, chemical battery-powered sensors that collect data like soil pH and humidity, creating sustainability and reducing costs. If Bioo can scale this up, it could be used to power a household or lighting across entire public spaces. And, of course, unlike solar panels, these batteries can collect energy 24 hours a day.
Another, less vital but still interesting technology Bioo is working on is using plants as biological switches. When they come into contact with human touch, plants perceive a shift in frequency. By utilising this, Bioo can use a plant’s output like a switch, to turn on and off lights, create a musical note, or pretty much anything else switches can do.
Bioo and its founder, Pablo Vidarte, have won a multitude of awards and recognitions, including World’s Most Disruptive Startup of the Year, from Google, and one of the Top 50 Most Innovative Companies of Europe according to the European Parliament. From articles in NatGeo to being recognised as one of Spain’s most influential people, Vidarte has also been named as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 (he is 24).
We think we will see more Bioo in the near future.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
The lowdown on the Regional Winners of Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition - some of the UK's most promising early stage tech companies.

Loop Not Luck aims to improve social mobility via its innovative job board designed specifically to connect underrepresented candidates to tailored career opportunities.

75% of LGBTQ+ tech founders and investors actively conceal their gender or sexuality from peers in the ecosystem, says first of its kind report.

Leading AI startup Aiir Innovations secures major investment to support global expansion and help set a new standard for engine inspections.

The lowdown on OneThird, the foodtech startup that's tackling food waste via its innovative solution for predicting the shelf life of fresh produce.

Karen Meager, co-founder of Monkey Puzzle Training shares some insights on how leadership has changed in the last decade, and what it takes to be a great leader today.

Freight rate management platform Freightify raises Series A investment to support further international growth and mission to help more freight forwarding companies digitize their operations.

Crowdfunding success for Omni, the vegan dog food brand, reaffirms the recession-proof growth of the pet nutrition industry.

Want to learn a new language? Weeve is an innovative startup that has created an innovative, creative and effective way to help you do just that.

Want to build an investable, scalable tech startup? The Raise Accelerator programme is now open for applications and will help you do just that.
Published on: 23rd November 2020
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Tech Nation reveals 33 early stage scaleups to watch in 2023 8th Feb 2023 The lowdown on the Regional Winners of Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition - some of the UK's most promising early stage tech companies.
- Loop Not Luck, the UK’s first intersectional diversity recruiting platform launches 7th Feb 2023 Loop Not Luck aims to improve social mobility via its innovative job board designed specifically to connect underrepresented candidates to tailored career opportunities.
- New report reveals the tech community's LGBTQ+ Crisis 7th Feb 2023 75% of LGBTQ+ tech founders and investors actively conceal their gender or sexuality from peers in the ecosystem, says first of its kind report.
- Aviation startup Aiir Innovations raises over €2M to transform aircraft engine maintenance 7th Feb 2023 Leading AI startup Aiir Innovations secures major investment to support global expansion and help set a new standard for engine inspections.