Genomines: Producing Nickel with Plants, Not Mines

Founded in 2021 by Fabien Koutchekian and Dr. Dali Rashid, Genomines is a deeptech startup from CDL-Paris that uses genetically enhanced hyperaccumulator plants to extract high-grade nickel directly from the soil — offering a decentralized, low‑emission and cost‑competitive alternative to conventional mining. After a $45M Series A, the deeptech startup is now moving from lab-scale validation to industrial deployment in Africa.

Nickel is a critical metal for electric vehicle batteries — but its extraction is slow, expensive, carbon‑intensive and often environmentally destructive. Traditional mining requires high CAPEX, generates significant CO₂ emissions and faces increasing regulatory pressure. Meanwhile, demand for battery-grade nickel is set to surge.

Genomines saw an opportunity: could nature itself produce the metals we need, faster and cleaner than mining?

Genomines produces nickel through phytomineralization — a biotechnology process using plants that naturally absorb and store metal ions.

What they built:

• Enhanced hyperaccumulator plants (Astéracées) capable of storing up to 7.6% nickel in their biomass

• Improved plant size and growth through genetic engineering

• A tailored microbiome to maximize metal uptake

• A patented low‑carbon recovery process heating biomass without oxygen (no CO₂ emissions, biochar instead of ash)

• Modular production: harvest every 6 months, decentralized sites, dramatically lower CAPEX than classical mining

The result: up to 2.5 tons of nickel per hectare per year, while simultaneously helping decontaminate soils.

• $45M Series A (2024)
• 3M electric vehicles could be powered annually by Genomines’ projected 2030 production
• 2.5 tons of nickel/ha/year
• 100 ha target for Series A → 2,000 ha in Series B
• Clients & partners include Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, and battery‑grade refiners
• 25 team members across France & South Africa

Genomines is the result of a rare match of expertise: Fabien Koutchekian, trained in mining engineering, and Dr. Dali Rashid, a plant biotechnologist. They met through Entrepreneur First and quickly saw the potential of combining mineral extraction with plant science.

The journey was shaped by:

• A clear matrix approach to select the right problem (feasibility, market size, “right to win”)

• Scientific rigor to overcome skepticism and validate each step

• Strong multidisciplinary teamwork between technical, academic and business profiles

• Support from key programs, including HEC Paris’ Creative Destruction Lab – Climate and Twenty First, which provided structure, mentorship, strategic clarity and access to advanced equipment

A deliberate focus on milestones — not dispersion — helped the company stay on a fast yet controlled trajectory.

With its Series A, Genomines is scaling operations — starting with large‑scale deployment in South Africa and extended field tests to demonstrate economic parity with mining. The company is expanding its team, opening a fully equipped 600 m² lab, and preparing industrial partnerships for battery‑grade nickel sulfate.

The goal is clear: prove viability at 100 hectares, reach industrial scale by Series B, and deliver on its mission to produce cleaner, cheaper nickel — enough to power millions of electric vehicles by 2030.

Genomines website