The largest untapped market ahead of us

The promise of synthetic biology is to create all materials such as textiles, carpets, leather, cosmetics, personal care items, packaging, degradable plastics, detergent to wash clothes in cold water, fertilizers, and soil microbes, feedstock and fish meals, and many other products from biomass rather than hydrocarbons. It’s a revolution bigger than electrification, and forecasts for the synthetic biology market range from $4T to $31T.

A market in the early days of its formation

The decreasing cost of DNA sequencing from $100M to $100, the development of computing infrastructure to process and analyze large datasets, and the ability to selectively modify genetic code using CRISPR are the forces behind this revolution. Startups that are collecting and processing biological data, advancing molecular discovery with AI, and solving the scalability and cost issues of bio-manufacturing can close the gap and create gigantic new markets

Areas of opportunity ****

1. Enabling technologies and infrastructure to serve the emerging needs of biotech ecosystems in three main areas:
   1. Software & AI platforms. Mining and analyzing biological data and knowledge bases, discovering and designing new molecules, and simulating and predicting behavior in real environments.
   2. Hardware innovation. Reducing cost and improving accessibility to DNA sequencing, monitoring biological changes using next-generation biosensors and microfluidics, and shortening discovery and testing processes.
   3. Bio-manufacturing infrastructure such as ****continuous bioreactors and 3D printed reactors to reduce manufacturing costs and biosensors and software to optimize bio-manufacturing processes.
2. Scalable and cost-efficient bioengineered materials:
   1. Biodegradable plastics, enzymes to decompose landfill waste, and catalysts to capture carbon.
   2. High-performance biodegradable lubricants and greases.
   3. Bio-engineered feedstock, fish meals, feed additives, and pharmaceuticals to decrease the cost of food and improve the health of animals.
   4. Coating material, insulation, and catalysts bioengineered to improve energy conversion and decrease energy loss.
   5. Resilient crops, soil microbes, and toxic-free bio-pesticides, bio-stimulants, and bio-fertilizers.
   6. Cosmetics and personal care items from bio-produced components.
   7. Construction raw materials like cement and catalysts with lower manufacturing costs, carbon emissions, and better performance.
   8. Textile, dyes, and carpeting using carbon as part of the manufacturing process.