A simple answer based on the facts
In recent years, much has been said about the technology developed by Bio-On, often with conflicting claims. One of the most frequently asked questions has been: "But does this technology really exist?" The answer, based on the available documents and the company's industrial history, is yes.
However, to understand what this means, it is necessary to clarify what is actually meant by "technology". Many people imagine that a technology exists only when an industrial plant is already producing on a large scale. In practice, the process is much longer. A new technology goes through several stages: it begins as a scientific insight, is verified in the laboratory, tested with pilot plants, improved through numerous tests and only subsequently reaches industrial production.
For this reason, simply asking "does the technology exist?" is an incomplete question. The correct question should be: at what stage of development is this technology?
In the case of Bio-On, the answer is documented.
A technology that did not start from scratch. One of the lesser-known aspects is that Bio-On did not invent the technology for producing PHA bioplastics from scratch. The scientific foundations date back as far as 1926, when the French researcher Maurice Lemoigne first demonstrated the possibility of obtaining these biopolymers through biological processes.
In the following years, many researchers pursued this line of research, until the early 2000s, when Prof. Jian Yu of the University of Hawaii developed important patents for the production process. These patents were then exclusively licensed to Bio-On.
This means that, from its inception, the company already had a technological base that was established and validated by the scientific community, significantly reducing the risk typically associated with innovative startups.
From patent to industrial technology
Acquiring a license does not simply mean buying a patent. It means obtaining the right to use scientific knowledge that has already been tested and to develop it further. Bio-On built its business model precisely on this principle: starting from an existing technology, improving it through internal research and transforming it into new industrial applications. Over time, the company developed numerous additional patents, extending the protection of its intellectual property internationally and collaborating with Italian and foreign universities and research centers.
The pilot plant: proof that the technology worked
Another important element concerns the experimental plant built in Minerbio. This plant was not simply a laboratory, but a true pilot plant capable of replicating all stages of the production process: from the fermentation of raw materials to the extraction of PHA bioplastic. The plant was used to produce samples for customers, to refine the industrial process and to design larger plants. In the 2014 Admission Document for listing on the Stock Exchange, the plant is described in detail and presented as the technical basis for future industrial plants.
A technology that was continuously improved
Research did not stop with the original technology. Over the years, Bio-On developed new solutions for using different raw materials, such as sugar beet waste, sugar cane and glycerol derived from biodiesel production. At the same time, specific non-genetically modified bacterial strains were selected and new production processes were developed, with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing production costs.
The value of intellectual property
Bio-On's technological assets consisted not only of the plants, but above all of patents, know-how and expertise accumulated over the years. According to the report of the Receivership of the Bologna Business Court, the intellectual property portfolio comprised dozens of patent families and more than one hundred patent titles, both granted and filed, representing the company's main strategic asset.
The allegations concerning the alleged non-existence of the technology
The memorandum also addresses the claim that Bio-On's technology never existed. According to the document, this conclusion is not supported by the available sources. The presence of granted patents, international licenses, collaborations with universities, functioning pilot plants and numerous subsequent developments demonstrates, in fact, the existence of a real technology that evolved over time. Naturally, the existence of a technology does not automatically imply a company's economic success: a technology may be valid even if it encounters industrial, financial or commercial difficulties. These are distinct aspects that must be assessed separately.
A conclusion based on the documents
If the question is simply "Did Bio-On have a technology?", the documentation referred to in the memorandum leads to a positive answer. The company was founded by acquiring patents developed by the University of Hawaii, built a functioning pilot plant, developed new patents, expanded its know-how and built an intellectual property portfolio that was also recognized in the company's official documents. For this reason, the issue concerns not so much the existence of the technology as its evolution, its industrial development and exploitation, and the economic events that subsequently affected the company.
VIDEO SUPERQUARK 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm_IIT-6coc&t=168s
Documents available for consultation (abstract)
Appendix 1 - University of Hawaii License
Appendix 2 - Who is Jian Yu, CV, Patents
Appendix 3 - Pilati Document, PHA, Pilati Curriculum Vitae
Appendix 4 – Technology Memorandum 2020
Appendix 5 - AIM Admission Document, Technical Section
Appendix 6 - Due Diligence (abstract to protect proprietary technology), Di Giulio, Piattoli
Appendix 7 – Photo story MINERBIO Castel San Pietro BOLOGNA
Appendix 8 - Patent Portfolio
Appendix 9 – ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH CENTRES
Who we are and who wrote this article
To understand the BIO-ON case in all its current relevance and complexity, one fact is worth keeping in mind: over the years, this story has been covered in thousands of articles, television reports, commentaries, and public debates. Far less attention, however, has been paid to the direct examination of the documents that accompanied the company's foundation, development, and subsequent events. This observation gave rise to an editorial project with a clear objective: to collect, organize, and make accessible the main documents relating to the BIO-ON case, accompanying them with informative articles designed to facilitate their reading and understanding.
The initiative, "Exploring the BIO-ON Case," prompted by a substantial number of former BIO-ON small investors, has brought together an editorial team of professionals with experience in different fields, including industry, academia, innovation, finance, law, scientific research, and communications. They contribute on a voluntary basis to the selection of sources, the verification of documentation, and the preparation of the articles. The editorial approach is simple: every in-depth analysis starts with the documents. For this reason, whenever possible, each article is accompanied by the original materials used, so that readers can consult them freely, directly, and at no cost, and form their own opinion.
The project does not seek to replace the work of the judicial authorities, regulatory and supervisory bodies, academics, or the media. Rather, it aims to provide a space in which documents, data, and sources can be examined with the time and attention that such a complex story deserves.