Selected for the Ministry of the Environment’s FY2025 “Business Promotion Support Program for Startups.”

Aiming to enhance biogas efficiency by up to 25% and reduce CO₂ emissions by over 1.2 million tons annually — Achieving both improved biogas power generation efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction.

Mito, Ibaraki — September 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m. — Quantum Flowers & Foods Inc. (Headquarters: Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture; CEO: Norio Kikuchi; hereinafter “QFF”) has been selected for the Ministry of the Environment’s FY2025 Business Promotion Support Program for Startups*. Through this program, QFF will conduct a demonstration project applying its proprietary Neutron-Speedy Breeding® technology to improve methanogenic microbial communities in biomass fermentation liquid. This initiative is expected to simultaneously enhance the efficiency of biogas power generation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.

* FY2025 Subsidy for Measures to Control Carbon Dioxide Emissions (Regional Co-creation and Cross-Sectoral Carbon Neutral Technology Development and Demonstration Project, “Business Promotion Support for Startups” category).

 

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Background

Biomass energy is one of the most promising renewable energy sources that can utilize regional resources. However, issues remain regarding power generation efficiency and stability. Moreover, methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a warming effect approximately 25 times greater than CO₂, and its reduction is one of the most urgent priorities in climate change mitigation.

To address these challenges simultaneously, QFF is applying its patented Neutron-Speedy Breeding® technology to improve methanogenic microbial communities in biomass fermentation liquid, thereby increasing the efficiency of biogas production.

Since methane is generated through the collective action of diverse microbial groups, improving efficiency requires enhancing the entire microbial consortium rather than modifying single genes. Compared with genome editing and other pinpoint breeding methods, neutron breeding technology offers far higher efficiency for microbial community improvement.

– Neutron breeding achieves mutation rates 15 to 300 times higher than conventional radiation breeding.
– Its ability to induce random mutations makes it particularly well-suited for microbial development.
(Reference: “Speedy Breeding Explained in 5 Minutes.”)

 

Demonstration Project Overview

Technical Theme: Introduction of random mutations across entire microbial communities through neutron irradiation.

Objective: Increase methane generation efficiency and improve biogas power generation by up to 25%.

Implementation Steps:
1. Irradiate biomass fermentation liquid samples with neutron beams.
2. Statistically verify changes in gas production efficiency under multiple dosage conditions.
3. Identify effective dosage ranges and necessary sample sizes.
4. Scale up improved microbial communities and confirm reproducibility at fermentation tank level.

Expected Outcomes:
– Improve power generation output by up to 25% in domestic and international biogas facilities.
– Achieve an annual reduction of 1,249,500 tons of CO₂.
– Revitalize regional economies and accelerate renewable energy adoption.

 

Future Outlook

Based on demonstration results, QFF plans to commercialize the initiative as a “Microbial-Community-Enhanced Biomass System Optimization Service.”

– Target: Adoption in 100 facilities domestically and 600 facilities overseas (particularly in ASEAN and European markets) by FY2030.
– Business Model: Performance-based (success-fee) approach, providing a low-cost solution that can be retrofitted into existing facilities.

 

Comment from CEO & CTO, Norio Kikuchi

“We are deeply honored by this selection. By applying QFF’s neutron breeding technology to methanogenic microbial communities, we aim to achieve a fundamental improvement in biogas efficiency that was previously considered difficult. We will expand this initiative widely across domestic and global biogas markets, contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.”

 

Company Profile

Quantum Flowers & Foods Inc. (QFF)

Location:  2-101 Le Rêve Mikawa, 2563-77 Mikawacho, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Representative:  Norio Kikuchi, CEO
Business:  Plant and microbial improvement using Neutron-Speedy Breeding®; genomic analysis using AI; applications in sustainable bioenergy and food sectors
Established:  July 2018
Website:  https://qff.jp

 

Contact Information

Quantum Flowers & Foods Inc. — Business Solutions Department
Contact:  Shunsuke Naito
E-mail:   info@qff.jp
Tel:  03-6661-1611

 

Unofficial English translation of a Japanese press release published on PR TIMES. For official terms, please refer to the original Japanese text.