Press release
July 15, 2026
Kaiseraugst (Switzerland), Maastricht (Netherlands), July 15, 2026
dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, health and beauty, today announces a strategic partnership with Nous, an Italy-based start-up focused on next-generation functional food ingredients, to accelerate the global commercialization of Koncentra. The novel botanical functional ingredient is designed for energy, focus and mood enhancement applications.
Developed following an extensive screening process of carefully selected botanicals, Koncentra is manufactured through a proprietary extraction technology that preserves the integrity and efficacy of its natural components. The result is a new approach to energy formulation, delivering sustained performance without the unwanted side effects often associated by consumers with traditional stimulants like caffeine, such as jitters, anxiety and energy crashes.
Building on dsm-firmenich’s recent investment in Nous through its ventures activities, the companies are now expanding their partnership. Through this collaboration, dsm-firmenich will support the further development, claims substantiation, and market validation of Koncentra, accelerating its path from clinical development to commercialization as a science-backed, regulatory-compliant solution for the energy category.
Energy remains a key concern for consumers globally, with around 68% of them worldwide reporting that they worry about their energy levels in daily life. Due to this, energy has become one of the most prominent positioning platforms in functional beverages, with 44% of claims globally linked to energy and 14% to brain and nerve support. While caffeine still dominates the category, increasing awareness of its drawbacks is shifting consumer preferences toward more balanced, natural alternatives.
Koncentra responds to this need with a multi-functional, caffeine-free solution that supports energy, focus and mood, enabling brands to move beyond traditional stimulant-based approaches toward more holistic performance solutions.
Koncentra is produced via a sustainable and natural extraction process that preserves key bioactive compounds while ensuring consistency and scalability.
In addition to its functional benefits, Koncentra has been developed with formulation in mind. Its excellent solubility and low effective dose enable seamless integration into a wide range of food and beverage applications, with minimal impact on taste, color or turbidity. This makes it a highly versatile solution for manufacturers in F&B looking to develop next-generation functional food and drinks.
As part of the partnership, dsm-firmenich will support the design of clinical trials to substantiate claims related to energy and overall cognitive and physical performance. The collaboration will also strengthen regulatory positioning and claims development by leveraging dsm-firmenich’s deep consumer insights, application expertise, and regulatory knowledge to refine product concepts, validate compliant botanical solutions, and enhance market readiness for demanding customer applications.
“The demand for science-backed, balanced energy solutions is growing rapidly, and Koncentra is a highly promising innovation that aligns with the shift towards caffeine-free energy solutions,” says Ingrid Damen, Director, Global Business Development, Beverages at dsm-firmenich. “We believe that effective products must be rooted in strong science and supported by robust validation. Through this partnership, we are combining Nous’s breakthrough ingredient innovation with our expertise in clinical research, regulatory frameworks and global market development. This agreement reflects our commitment to accelerating next-generation solutions that meet evolving consumer expectations while setting new standards for efficacy and quality.”
Lorenzo Pessini, CEO and Founder at Nous adds, “Today’s energy solutions are still largely built around caffeine, which often comes with trade-offs that consumers are increasingly unwilling to accept. We see a clear opportunity to redefine the category by moving toward more balanced solutions. Koncentra represents a new generation of botanical ingredients, designed to deliver sustained energy alongside focus and mood support, without overstimulation. Our ambition is to become a strategic partner for companies looking to innovate in functional ingredients, and this collaboration with dsm-firmenich is a key step in bringing that vision to life at scale.”
Together, dsm-firmenich and Nous aim to reshape the future of energy, focus and mood solutions by moving beyond traditional stimulants toward more balanced, science-backed approaches that better meet the needs of today’s consumers.
To find out more, visit https://nous.energy/.
About dsm-firmenich
As innovators in nutrition, health, and beauty, dsm-firmenich reinvents, manufactures, and combines vital nutrients, flavors, and fragrances for the world’s growing population to thrive. With our comprehensive range of solutions, with natural and renewable ingredients and renowned science and technology capabilities, we work to create what is essential for life, desirable for consumers, and more sustainable for people and the planet. dsm-firmenich is a Swiss company, listed on the Euronext Amsterdam and SIX Swiss Exchange, with operations in almost 60 countries and revenues of more than €9 billion for its Continuing Operations following the divestment of Animal Nutrition & Health. With a diverse, worldwide team of nearly 21,000 employees, we bring progress to life every day, everywhere, for billions of people. www.dsm-firmenich.com
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This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to dsm-firmenich’s future performance and position. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of dsm-firmenich and information currently available to the company. dsm-firmenich cautions readers that such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore it should be understood that many factors can cause actual performance, transaction progress and positions to differ materially from these statements. dsm-firmenich has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release, unless required by law. This communication contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The English language version of this press release prevails over other language versions.