Michael Churchill, the CEO of Kombu, had been brewing kombucha at home for years, but his setup was far from ideal. His wife, Natalia Amijo, an industrial designer and co-founder of Kombu, pointed out that the process was messy and unmanageable. The two wondered why there wasn’t a kombucha-brewing appliance that combined functionality with good design. When they couldn’t find one, they decided to create their own solution. This marked the beginning of Kombu, a San Francisco-based hardware startup that aims to simplify and elevate the at-home kombucha-making process.
At the heart of Kombu’s innovation is the Fermenstation, a brewing system that was first showcased at CES 2025. The Fermenstation is designed to make brewing kombucha at home easier, cleaner, and more efficient. It uses a low-heating, temperature-controlled system to maintain the perfect brewing conditions, and it adds a high-tech touch to the fermentation process. The device comes with a companion IoT mobile app, allowing users to control and monitor their brew remotely. This means users can set timers, adjust temperature settings, and receive real-time updates on their kombucha’s progress. The app even allows for customization, so users can perfect their brew according to their preferences.
Kombucha itself is a slightly fizzy, sweetened drink that is rich in live microorganisms and polyphenols. It is made by fermenting green, black, or white tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts, known as a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). This fermented tea drink has been called “tea for a long life” due to its potential health benefits, which include rebalancing intestinal flora, improving mood, and even reversing the appearance of gray hair. The taste of kombucha is often described as a mix between champagne and vinegar, making it a unique and acquired flavor.
Brewing kombucha at home traditionally involves several time-consuming steps, including boiling tea, cooling it, adding sugar, and waiting for fermentation to complete. It also requires the use of glass bottles covered with cloths, which can be risky as open containers can attract unwanted bacteria or mold. The Fermenstation simplifies all these steps by combining them into one system. Users simply add tea, sugar, and a starter liquid, and the Fermenstation takes care of the rest. The device’s compact, minimalist design and built-in spigot make it easy to use and store, while its space-efficient construction ensures it fits neatly on any countertop.
Michael Churchill and Natalia Amijo met while studying at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design, and their backgrounds in design and engineering are evident in the Fermenstation’s creation. Churchill has experience working with automotive OEMs and an electric vehicle startup, while Amijo’s background includes virtual reality, a startup in the mobility sector, and creative direction. Their combined expertise has resulted in a product that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, blending technology with design seamlessly. The Fermenstation is made from high-quality materials, including borosilicate glass, PET plastic, stainless steel, and ripstop nylon, ensuring durability and performance.
The Fermenstation has already gained significant traction, with Kombu surpassing its $25,000 Kickstarter goal by raising nearly $105,000 in backing. The company is set to begin shipping pre-orders of the Fermenstation to customers in the U.S. and Canada between April and June of this year. Looking ahead, Kombu plans to expand its business into the realm of fermented foods, offering subscription services for teas, flavor concentrates, and other related products. The Fermenstation is just the first chapter in Kombu’s mission to revolutionize modern fermentation and gut health, making it easier and more enjoyable for people to create their own fermented products at home. With its sterile, space-efficient design, the Fermenstation is set to elevate the at-home kombucha-making process and inspire a new wave of home brewers.
