About us

A catalyst and process engineering partner accelerating sustainable fuels and chemicals.

Aefir Labs (formerly NERA) is a team of chemists, process engineers and data scientists. We do the engineering for companies moving to sustainable chemical processes, from a project's first feasibility study to a plant running at full scale. Our focus is Sustainable Aviation Fuel, with the same capabilities extending to sustainable platform chemicals.

Our vision

A world where sustainable fuels and chemicals compete on cost and arrive sooner.

Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise and synthetic fuel is one of the few credible answers. An answer no one can afford, or that arrives too late, changes little.

We help the companies building that answer close the gap and close it faster. By speeding up the R&D behind production, with better catalysts, leaner processes and AI-assisted improvement, we help our clients reach viable, affordable products years sooner.

Our story

From NERA to Aefir.

Aefir started as NERA, a small group of catalysis and process engineers. The technology for sustainable aviation fuel existed while the economics did not. The gap sat in the chemistry.

That gap is our work. We help innovators develop new synthetic fuel processes and help industry adapt the plants they already run. In 2026 we rebranded to Aefir. That year we were also awarded the PPS Innovatie grant from TKI Energie to develop novel methanol-to-jet technology.

We keep our scope narrow on purpose: catalysis and process engineering done well, for the clients who depend on it.

The Aefir Labs team, formerly NERA, in the laboratory
Team

The people behind the chemistry.

Small, senior and hands-on. Deep catalysis and process expertise paired with modern data science.

Wies Bloem
Wies BloemLead Process Engineer
Yordi Beelen
Yordi BeelenChief Executive Officer & co-founder
Jan Willem Heinen
Jan Willem HeinenChief Strategy Officer & co-founder
Careers

Build the fuel the future flies on.

We are growing the team across catalysis, machine learning and process engineering. If you want your work to move real decarbonisation, we would like to hear from you.

Contact us →
Catalyst Scientist
Leiden · Full-time
ML Engineer
Leiden · Full-time
Process Engineering Intern
Leiden · Internship
Contact

Get in touch.