Press release 18.05.2026
It began as a conversation in a student dorm during the coronavirus pandemic. Mikkel Precht and his co-founders wanted to use their knowledge of biotechnology to solve a real-world problem. After exploring a wide range of global health challenges, they kept returning to one issue: alcohol intolerance.
Today, the Copenhagen-based startup, which is now operating a therapeutic subsidiary in the UK, announces a EUR 1.5m funding round with investment from Ada Ventures, Delphinus Venture Capital, Antler, Manigoff Invest and a group of business angels.
Alcolase is developing an enzyme-based technology designed to break down alcohol in the stomach before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. The technology is aimed at approximately 540 million people in East Asia living with ALDH2 deficiency, a genetic variant that makes it difficult for the body to break down alcohol effectively and can lead to flushing, nausea and discomfort, as well as increased health risks associated with alcohol consumption.
An overlooked problem for millions of people
For many people, alcohol intolerance is not a matter of choosing not to drink. In cultures where social drinking is woven into business meetings, networking and family life, people with ALDH2 deficiency are physiologically excluded from settings that shape professional opportunity and social belonging. It was meeting people living with alcohol intolerance that made the problem clear to Mikkel Precht, CEO and Co-founder of Alcolase.
“When you speak to people with alcohol intolerance, you realise this is not about wanting to drink more. It is about not being shut out of dinners, work events and family gatherings because of a genetic difference. We want to give people a real choice they are currently denied,” says Mikkel Precht.
“What drives me is the idea that biotechnology can solve problems that affect people’s everyday lives. If we succeed, we can create a healthier alternative for a very large number of people.”
Enzyme-based technology with global potential
Alcolase has developed a new way to protect enzymes from stomach acid and keep them active in the stomach; a technology based on encapsulation in liposomes. The aim is to develop a solution that can create healthier alternatives in a global drinking culture.
The company plans to initially enter the market in Singapore and subsequently South Korea, where alcohol intolerance is particularly common. To support the development of the delivery platform for therapeutic use-cases, Alcolase has established a UK subsidiary, with Ada Ventures supporting the team’s expansion into the UK life sciences ecosystem.
“Alcolase is exactly the kind of company we look for: a science-led team tackling a problem that affects hundreds of millions of people. ALDH2 deficiency has been hiding in plain sight. It’s a genetic reality for around 540 million people in East Asia, yet barely addressed by mainstream health innovation. The team is using biotechnology to give people a real choice in how they participate in social and cultural life, without compromising their health. We’re delighted to support the team as they establish their UK therapeutic subsidiary to develop the wider drug delivery opportunity, and that Alasdair Thong, Venture Partner at Ada Ventures, will be joining the board to support them in this next phase.” Check Warner, Co-founding Partner at Ada Ventures
Risk capital for Danish biotech
For Delphinus Venture Capital, the investment is an example of the type of research-based innovation that can develop into global companies originating from Denmark, if founders have access to risk capital and the ability to turn deep technology into real-world solutions.
“If startups like Alcolase are to become global success stories, Denmark needs more risk-tolerant capital and strong international co-investors. We were fascinated by Mikkel’s vision of using biology to solve a problem that affects millions of people’s everyday lives, and by his ability to execute, learn and build a strong team around him. It is this kind of ambitious, technology-driven innovation that we want to help lift,” says Katrine Haahr Riisberg, Investment Associate at Delphinus Venture Capital.
From the lab to the market
With the investment, Alcolase will reach a number of key milestones in the next phase of the company’s development. These include an in vivo study, further development of the technology, strengthening of the company’s IP position and the first commercial steps towards partnerships in leading markets.
Michael Wiatr Aagaard, Partner at Antler, comments: “Mikkel and his co-founders have the ambition, scientific expertise and determination required to find a solution to a major health and social issue. This funding is a testament to the commitment of the team as they take their product from Denmark to the rest of the world. We’ve backed Alcolase from an early stage and are proud to continue supporting them as they turn their vision into global impact.”
About Alcolase
Alcolase is a Danish biotech startup based in Copenhagen. The company is developing a liposomal encapsulation platform that protects enzymes from stomach acid and keeps them active in the stomach. The platform is designed to deliver active enzymes precisely where they are needed. Alcolase’s first product is aimed at people with alcohol intolerance, with the ambition of supporting the body’s own breakdown of alcohol before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.
About Ada Ventures
Ada Ventures is a venture capital firm with more than £100 million under management. The firm invests in pre-seed companies across areas including climate equity, economic empowerment and healthy ageing. Ada Ventures is backed by institutional investors including the British Business Bank, Atomico, EIFO, the University of Edinburgh and Better Society Capital.
About Delphinus Venture Capital
Delphinus Venture Capital is a Danish venture capital fund established in 2025, managing DKK 600 million. The fund is backed by Aarhus University Research Foundation, HEARTLAND, Norlys and Salling Group, and it invests in research-heavy innovation and deeptech companies with the potential to create global impact.
About Antler
Antler is where founders come to go further, faster. Antler is the world’s most active early-stage investor, backing exceptional people at the very start of their journey, and supporting them from inception to scale. Across 30 cities worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Bangalore, Singapore, Seoul, and Sydney, the firm helps founders remove the barriers to building by connecting them with world-class peers, validating business models, and providing initial capital. To date, Antler has backed more than 1,500 startups globally, including Lovable, Airalo, Peec.AI, Reebelo, Wrtn, and Benjamin.
For further information
Mikkel Precht
CEO & Co-founder, Alcolase
Tel.: +45 29 89 35 37
Email: mhp@alcolase.com
Katrine Haahr Riisberg
Investment Associate, Delphinus Venture Capital
Tel.: +45 28 83 28 78
Email: khr@delphinus.vc