Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the biotech sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we want to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising synthetic biology startups.
Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top Synthetic Biology Companies
Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 3 790 000+ startups & scaleups globally, we identified 400+ synthetic biology startups. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the innovative startups you should watch as well as the geo-distribution of all 486 startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research.
Based on the heat map, we see high startup activity in the USS, followed by Western Europe. These synthetic biology companies work on solutions ranging from cell factories and bioplastics to feed solutions.
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Explore 5 Top Synthetic Biology Companies
Cysbio constructs Bacterial Cell Factories
The biotech industry has long used genetically modified bacteria to produce highly valuable biochemicals for pharma, materials, and food, among other industries. However, it remains an uphill task to make microbes produce chemicals that they cannot naturally synthesize. With advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, it is now easier to manipulate bacteria and yeast to produce various products. The application of engineering design principles enables the optimization of the production process for higher yields.
Cysbio is a Danish startup that uses synthetic biology to construct bacterial cell factories. The startup’s proprietary processes produce biochemicals such as amino acids for pharma, food, and feed markets. With metabolic and enzyme engineering, The startup imparts novel functionalities to biochemicals with its patented sulfation technology that produces sulfated biochemicals. This solution finds applications in antifouling agents, nutraceutical ingredients, and precursors for functional polymers.
Siolta Therapeutics develops Therapeutic Microbial Consortia
Over the last decade, there has been extensive research on how the human microbiome influences health. Solutions, that develop and maintain a healthy microbiome to prevent and treat a wide range of disorders, are on the rise. With modern lifestyles, the risk of chronic allergies is greater than ever before. However, therapeutic microbial interventions in the form of probiotics hold promise for the prevention of allergic diseases.
The US-based startup Siolta Therapeutics develops therapeutic microbial consortia to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases. It analyzes clinical data and rationally designs mixed-species therapeutics for oral supplementation. Unlike current care treatments for allergies, the microbiome-based approach acts before the initiation of the immune dysfunction cascade. The startup’s lead candidate, STMC-103H, is under investigation for the treatment of allergic asthma, as well as other chronic inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis.
Kinnva offers Aquaculture Feed
Aquaculture is a primary source of animal protein for millions of people and supports the economies of many communities. Growth in the industry is largely limited by a lack of access to affordable and reliable feed sources. This is because growing feed crops takes away land from other important crops. Synthetic biology-based solutions replace plants with fermentation to produce feed and other plant-based products in a sustainable and scalable manner.
Kinnva is a Singapore-based startup that uses fermentation and intensified processing methods to produce high-value biochemicals and biomaterials. The startup’s proprietary Integrated Methane Platform converts waste gases such as methane to value-added products. KinnFeed, the startup’s aquaculture feed, provides high-quality protein resulting from a stable production process. The solution is eco-friendly and uses far less water and land to produce constant amounts of feed.
Genecis coverts Waste into Bioplastics
Petroleum-based plastics produce high levels of pollution. In addition, plastics do not degrade easily, such as microplastics in the oceans, and last for hundreds to thousands of years. Another common waste product in abundance is food waste. Though compostable, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG), when dumped in landfills. Bioplastics simultaneously address both of these problems by turning food waste into compostable plastic alternatives.
Candian startup Genecis uses synthetic biology to convert waste into high-value materials. The startup diverts food waste from landfills and uses bacteria to turn it into compostable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics. This solution serves food, agriculture, textiles, and other industries looking to replace plastics with sustainable alternatives. Unlike traditional plastics, PHA plastics degrade within a year.
Asimov advances Mammalian Synthetic Biology
Unlike bacterial and yeast-based synthetic biology, mammalian synthetic biology is in its nascent stage. This holds promise for solutions that would be very difficult or near impossible in microbial systems. For instance, cells are engineered as biosensors that also produce or trigger the production of therapeutic proteins. The success of mammalian synthetic biology depends on the design quality of synthetic circuits and requires interdisciplinary efforts.
Asimov is a US-based startup that offers a genetic design platform for mammalian synthetic biology. The startup integrates synthetic biology, computational modeling, multi-omics measurement, and machine learning in a single platform to advance therapeutic applications. Asimov’s computer-aided design tools enable easier engineering of living systems. The startup focuses on protein biologics, viral vectors, and cell & gene therapy.
Discover All Synthetic Biology Startups
The synthetic biology companies showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Industry Innovation Reports for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company!
