Microbes
Industrial Microbes engineers programmable microbes that convert renewable feedstocks like ethanol and methane into drop-in chemicals and materials, including 100% bio-based acrylic acid. The company's fermentation-based biomanufacturing process, modeled on whiskey brewing, produces molecules chemically identical to petrochemical equivalents with net-zero or negative emissions. iMicrobes co-develops the biomanufacturing process with partners, providing the strain, bioprocess, samples, and intellectual property while partners take the final materials to market.
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Technology
- Clean Technology
- New Materials
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Traditional chemical manufacturing relies heavily on petroleum-based feedstocks, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. Consumers increasingly demand sustainable bioproducts with reduced environmental impact across their lifecycle, but alternatives must also be affordable and scalable to compete with established petrochemical processes.
Solution
Industrial Microbes has engineered programmable microbes that convert renewable feedstocks like ethanol and methane into drop-in chemicals and materials, including 100% bio-based acrylic acid. The company's biomanufacturing process mimics whiskey brewing—employing fermentation, heating, and distillation powered by advanced engineered microorganisms. This scalable, cost-competitive process produces molecules identical to petrochemicals with net-zero or negative emissions, enabling manufacturers to adopt sustainable materials without altering their existing supply chains. iMicrobes co-develops the biomanufacturing process with partners, providing the strain, bioprocess, samples, and intellectual property while partners take the final materials to market.
Target Audience
Primary customers are chemical manufacturers, material producers, and industrial companies seeking sustainable, cost-competitive alternatives to petroleum-based feedstocks for producing chemicals and materials.
Features
- Engineered programmable microbes that convert renewable feedstocks (ethanol, methane) into drop-in chemicals and materials
- Production of 100% bio-based acrylic acid, a key industrial chemical used in adhesives, coatings, and textiles
- Process based on fermentation, heating, and distillation—a scalable approach modeled on whiskey brewing
- Output molecules are chemically identical to petrochemical equivalents, allowing drop-in integration with existing infrastructure
- Nine years of development supporting scaled biomanufacturing, with $10M in commercial partnerships
- Applications across acrylic, carbon fiber, and biopolymers for high-performance material production