Collo has developed an analyser that can rapidly characterise various liquids. This technology is particularly beneficial for the food and beverage industry, providing continuous, real-time measurement that allows companies to optimise production flows more effectively. By using Collo’s solution, businesses can conserve raw materials and water, as well as reduce CO2 emissions and waste.

To illustrate the impact, Collo’s research suggests that a typical mid-sized dairy plant could lose up to 8 million litres of raw milk annually due to inadequate inline process control. By implementing Collo’s analyser, such dairies could significantly cut these losses, potentially saving up to 11 million kilos of CO2 emissions and 35 million litres of clean water each year.

“The global food and beverage industry is going through a significant transformation driven by climate change, rising demand for sustainable operations, and increasing environmental regulation. Major market leaders have established strategic priorities to cut emissions by half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050,” says Matti Järveläinen, Co-Founder and CEO of Collo, and continues, “Our solution supports the entire industry in becoming more sustainable and efficient. With the backing of the new funding, we are well-prepared to establish a strong presence in global markets.”

Collo's uniqueness lies in its sensor, analytics, and machine-learning capabilities. The sensor is compatible with any liquid in the plant, replacing the need for multiple traditional sensors. Furthermore, its analytics and machine learning capabilities provide actionable insights for plant management, as opposed to mere measurement data. This allows operators in the food and beverage industry to manage processes without having to maintain sensors or interpret raw sensor data.

"All savings are realised through process optimization using existing infrastructure. Any processing company can implement Collo analysers to bring their plants to the IoT era, and make their processes sustainable, without a need for large investments in new production lines,” Järveläinen explains.

Collo’s current customers include global food and beverage companies such as dairy giants Fonterra, Danone, and Valio. While Collo's solution has found a strong product-market fit in minimizing product losses in product pushouts, the technology has also proven beneficial in other food and beverage applications, such as Clean-in-Place (CIP) process optimisation, or fermentation process optimization, which is the basis for many “Food 2.0” products.

The recent growth funding of €5 million enables Collo to expand its unique solution globally. The funding round was co-led by Swedish SEB Greentech VC and Dutch deep technology investor FORWARD.one, and joined by an existing investor, Danish Scale Capital.

"It is more critical than ever for process plants to invest in technologies that help cut emissions and conserve water fast. Collo offers laboratory-level technology and precision in a cost-effective format, enabling any processing industry plant to achieve this. Major global industry players are already trusting Collo’s solution in process optimization. We are very excited to support the team in their next growth phase," says Mikko Huumo, Investment Manager at SEB Greentech VC.

"The analyser Collo has developed is truly groundbreaking. We are impressed by Matti and his team and are thrilled to join them in their journey to become a leader in liquid analytics,” says Riemer Smink, Managing Partner at FORWARD.one.