CEO, Ammonia Production

About Marble Marble is a climate tech venture studio. We partner with scientists, engineers, and operators to create companies solving hard climate problems in the world's largest industries. Our first 10 companies are building transformative products across energy, industry, agriculture, and climate resilience. 100% have been successful in raising follow-on to date. We are looking to partner with exceptional individuals to create our next venture. Electrifying the future of Ammonia, and beyond Ammonia is one of the most important chemicals in the world. It is the foundation of nitrogen-based fertilisers that sustain nearly half of global food production, making it essential for feeding billions of people. Its role is so critical that any disruption in supply or price sends shockwaves through agriculture and food markets worldwide. Today, the world’s fertiliser supply is tightly bound to natural gas prices, because gas is the main input for making nitrogen-based fertilisers. When Russia invaded Ukraine, European gas prices shot up ten times higher than the year before, forcing most ammonia plants to shut down. Farmers in Europe cut back on fertiliser use and turned to imports, exposing how dependent the region is on outside supply. The ripple effects went far beyond Europe - about half of global food production relies on mineral fertilisers, so any shock hits worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where almost all fertiliser is imported, shortages in 2021–22 pushed prices to more than three times their usual level, worsening already fragile food security. On top of this, making ammonia the conventional way is a massive contributor to climate change, producing about 1% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Cleaner alternatives exist, but they are expensive and hard to scale because they use so much energy. Making “green ammonia” from renewable electricity and hydrogen takes over 11 megawatt-hours of power for every tonne produced - enough to run an average European home for more than three years. Other methods use even more energy or are still stuck at the lab stage, producing only tiny amounts. Until these technologies become affordable and reliable, they can’t replace conventional fertilisers or guarantee the stable prices farmers and the global food system depend on. Centeon is working to unlock scalable, energy-efficient ammonia production - at price parity with fossil-produced supply. The Opportunity Centeon’s goal is to break this dependence on fossil‑fuel feedstocks and volatile gas markets by electrifying nitrogen fixation through a bio‑electrochemical process. Their technology utilizes electricity and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that convert air and water directly into ammonia, thereby eliminating the need for costly green hydrogen and bypassing energy-intensive plasma or inorganic electrochemical methods. In their headquarters in Paris , you will join a stellar CSO and a team of world-class scientists w ho have developed Centeon’s core technology, with experience in bioproduction, electrochemistry, and synthetic biology. Centeon has demonstrated lab-scale proof of concept . In this setup, they have achieved record-breaking ammonia production rates at a lower energy intensity than existing competitors’ technology and lower than the standard Haber-Bosch Process . Centeon has been backed by 5 top investors across the EU and US , and has won highly competitive prizes and grants. They are members of the French network Bioeconomy for Change, the German Chemstars Network, the Dutch Startlife accelerator, and semi-finalists of the Cultivate Challenge from the International Fertilizer Association. There are ongoing conversations with first customers, including agricultural cooperatives in Europe and the Middle East, who are very interested in what Centeon can bring, and as CEO, you will play a leading role in translating these into real-world pilots. Centeon is looking for a CEO and Co-Founder. Your role will be broad, across product, sales, partnerships, strategy, operations, fundraising (venture capital and non-dilutive), team building, supplier management, regulatory, and stakeholder engagement. Requirements We are looking for an entrepreneurial individual with a passion for the chemical and food industries and a driving motivation to create a massive company to secure the future of food supply and mitigate climate change. Must have: demonstrated experience/potential in CEO type responsibilities (see above), the commercialisation of novel technologies, with a strong interest in fertiliser and chemical-related industries. The ideal candidate will have direct experience in fertiliser, infrastructure project development, and/or scaling science-based companies. You must be currently located, or willing to relocate to, Paris, France. Example of relevant backgrounds: Startup founder / operator / investor - chemtech, biotech, agtech, climate tech. Fertiliser or chemistry industry specialists with experience in bringing new technologies to market. Industrial biotech specialists - with experience commercialising fermentation-based chemicals production, or other synbio systems. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel you meet all requirements. Above all, we value intelligence, creativity, and Founder Potential. Especially if you recognise yourself below: You can’t wait to start your own company (or your next one) You are a pragmatic optimist on a mission to tackle climate change You are outcome-focused and action-oriented - you make things happen You are a great communicator - you can convince others to follow you You love to break down ambitious goals into actionable milestones You understand that innovation starts with people - not ideas What We Offer As Co-Founder and CEO, you will partner with Marble and the CSO . You will, of course, have the opportunity to meet and work with him before making any big commitments! We offer (among other things) A €5,800 monthly salary A significant share allocation . Full-stack support from Centeon’s existing investors and network Mentorship and guidance at every step of the way Access to an unparalleled network across science, industry, talent, investors, mentors, and other climate deeptech founders Seed Fundraising support Introductions to the best seed investors and help with term sheet negotiation. Founder Visa sponsorship if you wish to relocate to France. Remote participation would a challenge, but we’re open to finding different partnership formats. How to Apply We are looking for the best candidate, so you are welcome to apply as soon as possible. We actively welcome candidates of all backgrounds, gender identities, and perspectives. We believe our work is strengthened when we bring together people with different lived experiences, cultures, and ways of thinking. Studies have shown that under-represented candidates are less likely to apply unless they feel they meet every single qualification. If you are excited about the opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are committed to a diverse, inclusive, and mission-driven Founder community. FAQs For a full list of FAQs, please visit our website .