FROM WASTE TO RESOURCE: Venture Clienting between Poas and Grainpulse

Repurposing agricultural residues is a cornerstone of the sustainable bioeconomy. However, for the agricultural industry, the challenge often lies in moving beyond simple disposal to creating high-value byproducts that improve the environmental footprint.

Grainpulse LTD a Uganda-based subsidiary of K+S has addressed this challenge in partnership with Poas, a Michigan-based startup from RootCamps batch #4. This pilot project was initiated and managed by RootCamp and ran from August 2024 to July 2025.

TRANSFORMING BIOMASS INTO BIOCHAR AND ENERGY

Granipulse produced 140 tons of coffee husks and 1,500 tons of corn cobs annually, which were burned to generate thermal energy for a Grainpulse facility in Uganda. Poas offers a significant technological upgrade to this process.

Poás has developed a gasifier capable of converting agricultural residues into biochar and methane-rich syngas. This process meets the thermal energy demand of the Grainpulse facility while producing a carbon-negative soil additive that can be incorporated into fertilizers.

Project Deliverables

The project centers on several key objectives to validate the technology and its benefits. First, the team has conducted an impact analysis by testing new feedstocks to compare traditional biomass combustion with the new gasification process. Additionally, the collaboration involved the development of a specialized biochar-fertilizer mix. Finally, field trials were executed to evaluate the overall performance and agricultural benefits of this biochar-fertilizer blend.

About Poas

Founded in Michigan in 2022, Poas provides gasification technology as a service to help farmers transition towards regenerative agriculture and decarbonise supply chains. The startup participated in RootCamp's fourth cohort in 2023. Its portfolio includes a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-financed initiative for pineapple cultivation and a collaboration in Costa Rica to process 6,000 tonnes of coffee fruit pulp waste annually. Through these diverse projects, Poas continues to create a more sustainable future for global agriculture.

About Granipulse

Grainpulse is an integrated agribusiness company based in Uganda, founded in 2002 with the mission of improving the livelihoods of Ugandan farmers. The company produces high-quality, crop-specific fertilizer blends and trades agricultural products such as coffee, grains, and pulses through crop offtake. In addition, Grainpulse provides agronomy and advisory services, including training in good agricultural practices, to support farmers and promote sustainable development across the agricultural sector.

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