Ammobia wins VITO4STARTERS pitch competition at Love Tomorrow
Ammobia has won the VITO4STARTERS pitch competition at Love Tomorrow 2026. The startup impressed the jury with its technology for producing green ammonia more efficiently, sustainably and at a lower cost. Ammobia was crowned the winner on the main stage during the Love Tomorrow evening programme, in front of an audience of 5,000 people.
Now in its fourth edition, the VITO4STARTERS pitch competition once again demonstrated the programme's international reach. The ten selected startups came from Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Latvia, Austria, Scotland and the United States, developing solutions for a broad range of sustainability challenges, including green ammonia, wastewater treatment, battery recycling, hydrogen production, microplastics, robotics and bio-based materials.
The jury consisted of experts from the European Innovation Council (EIC), PMV, VITO's Venturing Studio and entrepreneurs who have founded multiple companies. They evaluated each startup on the strength of its technology, business model and potential to create societal impact. Following the jury's deliberation, Ammobia, Bio Clean Carbon and Wattloop were selected as this year's finalists.
Winner Ammobia: driving the energy transition with green ammonia
Ammobia is developing an innovative technology for producing green ammonia more efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably. As ammonia is an essential building block for the energy transition and the decarbonisation of industry and agriculture, the company's technology has the potential to drive a major shift in ammonia production.
The fast-growing startup, based in San Francisco, is exploring plans for a demonstration plant in the NextGen District at the Port of Antwerp. The company's strong combination of technological innovation, market potential and impact ultimately convinced the jury to crown Ammobia this year's winner. Ammobia receives a Fast Track within the VITO4STARTERS programme, accelerating its pathway towards a potential investment by VITO.
The other finalists
Bio Clean Carbon: turning wastewater into valuable raw materials
Danish startup Bio Clean Carbon develops technologies for wastewater purification and carbon capture. Rather than viewing wastewater as a problem, the company sees it as a source of valuable raw materials. Using a patented cyanobacteria-based approach, it contributes to cleaner water and a more efficient use of scarce resources. Its strong focus on sustainability, circularity and scalable impact earned Bio Clean Carbon a place among this year's finalists.
Wattloop: giving EV batteries a second life
Belgian startup Wattloop transforms end-of-life electric vehicle batteries into valuable energy storage solutions. By giving EV batteries a second life, the company contributes to a more circular battery value chain and a more efficient use of critical raw materials. Its solution, at the intersection of the circular economy, electrification and energy storage, earned Wattloop a place among this year's finalists.
VITO4STARTERS: a head start for deep tech entrepreneurs
The VITO4STARTERS pitch competition is about more than selecting a winner. VITO4STARTERS supports ambitious deep tech startups that build on VITO's expertise to develop solutions for societal challenges in climate, energy, the circular economy, health and sustainable industry.
Through its investment programme, VITO4STARTERS gives startups access to research expertise, testing facilities, pilot infrastructure and an extensive network of researchers, companies, investors and public partners. The programme helps startups bring promising technologies to market faster and maximise their impact.
