UK-based startup EcoNomad Solutions has received £230,000 in funding from the British Design Fund (BDF). The company helps small livestock farms reduce their environmental impact and lower operating costs.
EcoNomad Solutions aims to help farms cut methane emissions and reduce the growing costs of energy and fertilisers. Its technology also helps farms turn organic waste into renewable energy.
The £230,000 investment is part of a larger £400,000 funding round. The round also includes an Innovate UK Investor Partnership grant.
Existing investor Beeches Group is also providing additional support to the company. The new funding will help EcoNomad Solutions further develop its solutions and support more small livestock farms.
Small and medium-sized livestock farms in the UK and Europe are facing several challenges. Energy and fertiliser costs are rising, waste management rules are becoming stricter, and farmers are under pressure to reduce methane emissions. However, most anaerobic digestion systems are designed for large farms and can be too expensive or complicated for smaller farms.
EcoNomad Solutions developed its BioNomad system to solve this problem. The patented system captures methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and turns farm waste into biogas. The biogas can be used for heating, cooking or generating electricity.
The system also produces biofertiliser, which can help farmers reduce their use of chemical fertilisers. EcoNomad says a small farm with around 50 cows could potentially save several thousand pounds each year on energy and fertiliser costs, depending on how the farm operates.
The idea for BioNomad started in Latin America, where founder Dr Ilan Adler saw how simple waste-to-energy systems could help rural communities. After moving to the UK more than 15 years ago to study for a PhD at UCL, he noticed that many waste management challenges were similar in both developed and developing countries. This led him to develop a system designed for colder weather, smaller farms and the rules in the UK and Europe.
Dr Ilan Adler, Founder & CEO of EcoNomad Solutions, said: “Small farms are under increasing pressure, yet they’re often excluded from the renewable energy solutions available to larger operators. Our mission is to change that. The BioNomad is designed to make waste‑to‑energy accessible, affordable and practical for even the smallest farms, helping them reduce emissions, lower costs and build resilience. The support from BDF, Innovate UK and our existing investors enables us to progress product development and scale our operations across the UK and Europe.”
EcoNomad’s technology is already being used on more than 10 farms across the UK. The company also has installations in Africa.
The system has been successfully tested with insect farms and food waste. EcoNomad has also tested integrated renewable energy systems that combine biogas, solar and wind power to charge batteries for electric vehicles.
Damon Bonser, CEO of the British Design Fund, said: “EcoNomad Solutions is addressing a major environmental and economic challenge with a solution that is both innovative and highly scalable. Their approach to decentralised anaerobic digestion has the potential to deliver meaningful impact for small farms globally.”
Over the next few years, EcoNomad Solutions plans to make the BioNomad® a fully automated, plug-and-play system. This will make it easier for farmers to operate without needing complex processes or technical knowledge.
The company will first focus on expanding its commercial operations across the UK. It then plans to enter European and emerging markets, with the long-term goal of making waste-to-energy technology more affordable and accessible for small farms.
