EVANIUM Raises €2.2 Million Seed Round to Solve One of the Most Expensive Inefficiencies in the Nutraceutical Industry

EVANIUM, a life-science startup from Regensburg, Germany, led by Felix Rolka, David Ofner, Carlo Werkmann, and the team, has raised a €2.2 million seed funding round, backed by FoodLabs and Feast Ventures, with participation from existing angel investors. The new funding will support scaling of proprietary OPTISOLV® technology, team expansion, advancement of clinical studies, and acceleration of commercial partnerships across nutraceuticals, nutricosmetics, and functional foods.

Despite premium pricing, many nutraceutical supplements deliver limited benefits due to poor absorption, with in some cases less than 1% of active ingredients effectively utilized by the body. EVANIUM is addressing this inefficiency with a new generation of bioavailability-enhanced ingredients.

OPTISOLV®: Turning Inefficient Supplements into High-Performance Products

Built on a dual-coating system, OPTISOLV® uses a cyclodextrin-based core with a phospholipid shell to stabilize actives in a highly dispersible form, preventing aggregation and significantly improving absorption using natural materials. For compounds like Curcumin, this results in over 1,000x higher solubility and 170x improved release during digestion, outperforming conventional approaches.

For Felix Rolka, the focus shifts from higher dosages to smarter formulations, positioning EVANIUM to scale the impact of more effective nutraceutical products.

From Technology Validation to Market Proof

EVANIUM has moved beyond lab validation, launching OPTISOLV® Curcumin in 2025 with Hevert-Arzneimittel, marking its first commercial entry and validating the technology for B2B adoption.

The platform is being scaled through continued IP development, with a fourth patent filed and a growing portfolio including Curcumin, Berberine, Boswellia, and Passiflora. Clinical studies are underway to strengthen scientific validation.

For Adrian Friederich, improving bioavailability addresses a major inefficiency in nutraceuticals, while Benedikt Stöckert highlights strong positioning as a technology partner for next-generation ingredients across food, supplements, and pharmaceuticals.

Scaling a Platform for the Future of Supplements

EVANIUM has evolved from an R&D-focused startup into a technology partner for established players, growing to a 12+ member team following its seed round. In 2026, the company delivered over two tons of material, demonstrating industrial readiness and marking a shift toward scaled impact.

EVANIUM will showcase its platform at Vitafoods Europe and Food Ingredients, with OPTISOLV® Berberine, focused on metabolic health, named a finalist in the Startup Challenge for the most innovative ingredient.