technology
Fermentation
Industrial fermentation and bioprocessing.
Where it's used
Bio-adhesives (industrial scale)
Industrial binders from soy protein, kraft lignin and mussel-inspired catechol polymers that replace formaldehyde resins in wood panels, packaging and underwater repair.
Biosynthetic Monomers: Succinate, Itaconate, FDCA & BDO
Bio-based platform chemicals — succinic acid, itaconic acid, FDCA, and 1,4-BDO — produced via precision fermentation from C5/C6 sugars, replacing fossil feedstocks for biopolymers, plastics, and specialty chemicals; $5B market in 2025, growing >15% CAGR to 2030.
Biosynthetic palm fat
Yeast- and algae-fermented triglyceride oils that reproduce the fatty-acid profile of palm oil, offering deforestation-free B2B fats for food, cosmetics and biofuels.
Brewing & distillation as a fermentation platform
Brewing and distillation capacity (250–500 m³ tanks) is being repurposed as a fermentation CDMO platform for recombinant proteins — from beer and spirits to collagen and albumin.
Mycoprotein and mushroom sector
Fungal biomass protein (mycoprotein) and mycelium materials produced via fermentation of Fusarium, Neurospora and Trichoderma — a $4.6B market growing at 12% CAGR.
Nitrogen-fixing microbial inoculants
Commercial deployment of nitrogen-fixing bacteria via seed treatments and soil inoculants to enhance crop nutrition, soil health, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers.
Precision fermentation
Genetically engineered microbes as cell factories for proteins, enzymes, HMOs and flavors — a stack from strain design to purified ingredient, at 30–50 g/L target titers.
Precision fermentation of dairy and egg proteins
Recombinant whey, casein and egg-white proteins produced by engineered yeast and filamentous fungi, cutting GHG emissions 90–97% and water use 95–99% versus animal farming.
Probiotics and postbiotics for companion animals
Species-specific probiotics and heat-stable postbiotics for dog and cat gut health — a $3.2B market driven by pet humanisation, growing at 11% CAGR.
Synthetic Microbial Consortia for Soil
Engineered multi-species microbial communities designed for precision agriculture.
Upcycled food ingredients
Functional proteins, fibres and lipids recovered from food-industry side streams — okara, spent grain, brewer's yeast, coffee grounds — and returned to the human food chain as high-value B2B ingredients.