Mitigating deforestation with the world’s first bioengineered cultured wood

Recently funded by EUROSTARS, the BRANCH project sets out to develop the first cultured wood prototype grown from tree plant cells grown in bioreactors. Led by the startup New Dawn Bio (NDB) in partnership with LIST, this pioneering research explores how bio-engineered wood could provide a sustainable alternative to logging while opening new opportunities for high-end industries. Tom Clement, CEO of NDB and Sylvain Legay, PI of the project at LIST, share their vision as the project launches.

What is cultured wood and how could it change the future of timber?

Tom Clement, CEO, NDB: Cultured wood is a breakthrough technology that produces premium wood without cutting down a single tree. Using plant cell technology, we’re growing tree stem cells exponentially quickly and turning them into wood tissue directly in the shape of end products like tabletops. This approach is a promising sustainable alternative to traditional logging, with significant opportunity for improvement in carbon footprint, land use, and biodiversity.

Sylvain Legay, researcher, LIST: From a scientific perspective, we are seeking to reproduce the natural processes of wood formation in a controlled environment. The goal is to create high-quality hardwood with the same properties as tree-based timber, while reducing pressure on forest resources.

Which industries could benefit from this innovation?

Tom Clement, CEO, NDB: We are initially focusing on sectors where demand for premium woods is high but supply is limited, such as architectural veneers. These industries are looking for sustainable solutions that don’t compromise on quality, and cultured wood is uniquely suited to fill that gap.

Sylvain Legay, researcher, LIST: Over time, there is potential for a broader range of applications. Cultured wood could become a sustainable material option for furniture and design industries, and even scale into highly price-sensitive applications like construction.

How to guarantee the quality of cultured wood?

Sylvain Legay, researcher, LIST: At LIST, our role is to develop and optimize the cell cultures and thoroughly assess the resulting material. As such, we will develop optimized and cost-efficient production processes and asses the chemical composition and mechanical strength to evaluate whether it meets the standards comparable to tree-based hardwood.

Tom Clement, CEO, NDB: This validation is a key part of the project. Future adoption by partners and industries will depend on evidence that cultured wood is both sustainable and reliable.

About New Dawn Bio

New Dawn Bio is an impact-driven startup pioneering the world’s first cultured wood. With a mission to grow wood on a planetary scale without touching forests, they eliminate the need for logging and enable materials to be grown directly into their final form. Their technology opens new possibilities for high-performance manufacturing, combining quality with ecological responsibility. By rethinking how wood is made, they aim to build a future where both society and the natural world can thrive.