BioMADE Announces $26.9 Million Invested in 17 Projects

BioMADE announced 17 new projects that will drive the scale-up and commercialization of American biomanufactured products. They include producing biodegradable plastics; upcycling waste to create new products; certification programs to prepare the workforce of tomorrow’s U.S. bioeconomy; developing cell-free systems for commodity chemicals; and more.

These projects highlight the breadth and depth of BioMADE’s membership, representing 30 member organizations—spanning 18 states from New York to Texas—throughout the private and nonprofit sectors, academic research institutions, and community colleges.

This work will revitalize American manufacturing by advancing and commercializing the bioindustrial production of components incorporated into everyday items; reshoring manufacturing jobs; and bolstering a domestic supply chain of commodity and platform chemicals. This announcement embodies BioMADE’s mission of supporting projects that will enhance competitiveness of the U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing industry.

“America’s leadership in research must be matched by leadership in process and scale-up capability. That is what today’s biomanufacturing announcement is all about,” said Dr. Arati Prabhakar, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “That’s how the vision of engineering living cells to sustainably produce chemicals, materials, and structures will become a reality.”

“The next five to ten years will determine the global leader of the bioeconomy. At BioMADE, we believe the U.S. is uniquely positioned to seize this opportunity,” said Dr. Douglas Friedman, CEO at BioMADE.

Bioindustrial manufacturing uses biological systems—including microbes such as bacteria, yeast, and algae—to produce materials and chemicals that are incorporated into products we use every day, like bio-based cement, plant-based nylon, paints and adhesives, and more.

The processes are powered by feedstocks from the U.S., such as corn, woody biomass, waste gases, and agricultural waste – thereby creating new markets for farmers, spurring rural job growth nationwide, ending U.S. reliance on foreign materials imports, and manufacturing sustainable products on American soil.

Among the projects that may have coatings-related possibilities are:
• Greener Chemistry via Process Integration and Intensification at Pilot Scale – This project will domestically biomanufacture Ecoteria™, a bio-based malonate product platform. The resulting products offer safety, sustainability, and supply chain resilience benefits while meeting or exceeding performance specifications for fragrances, coatings, agricultural chemicals, and more.

Member: Lygos (CA)

• Sustainable Bio-Acrylics and Organic Acids Separations Through Novel Techniques – This project will accelerate the commercialization of the anaerobic bio-production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) – an important molecule that’s a precursor to the $25 billion acrylates industry – by leveraging existing ethanol infrastructure. Acrylates have diverse applications, including consumer products paints, and adhesives.

Member team: Bluestem Biosciences (NE), ideaCHEM (SD), Iowa State University (IA), Southeast Community College (NE)