Biomanufacturing startup Industrial Microbes (iMicrobes) is making significant headway in sustainable materials innovation. With the successful first close of its seed funding round, the company has secured over $10 million to advance its mission of accelerating the global transition to eco-friendly materials.

Backed by First Bight Ventures and Universal Materials Incubator Co. (UMI), this investment positions iMicrobes to drive breakthroughs in bioprocessing and sustainable chemistry.

About Industrial Microbes

Founded by biotechnology experts, Industrial Microbes specializes in converting renewable feedstocks into sustainable, drop-in chemicals like acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, and carbon fiber.

With 22 patents to its name, the company is a driving force behind the adoption of net-zero, cost-competitive materials across industries.

As industries shift toward sustainability, iMicrobes is proving that innovation, scalability, and environmental responsibility can coexist, offering a brighter future for biomanufacturing.

How Funding Accelerates iMicrobes' Mission

The latest funding is a pivotal milestone for iMicrobes, enabling the company to:

• Engineer microbes 3x faster for commercial applications.
• Scale bioprocesses that convert renewable feedstocks into high-performance, biobased chemicals.
• Purify its first commercial samples for market testing.

By leveraging renewable resources such as ethanol and methane, iMicrobes is reshaping the landscape of material production.

These feedstocks are transformed into biobased alternatives to traditional petrochemicals, offering cost-competitive, net-zero solutions for industries seeking sustainable options.

Leadership Perspectives on the Investment’s Impact

This seed round underscores the confidence in iMicrobes' potential to redefine sustainability in manufacturing.

Veronica Breckenridge, Founder of First Bight Ventures, highlighted the significance of this moment:

“We stand at a significant inflection point for biomanufacturing. iMicrobes is uniquely positioned to help chemical companies bring biobased materials to market, meeting the increasing demand for sustainable products. Their innovative approach to developing cost-competitive, net-zero materials is paving the way for a new era in sustainable chemistry.”

Yosuke Yamamoto, Partner at UMI, emphasized the collaborative nature of iMicrobes’ innovations:

“At UMI, we believe that innovation thrives when industries collaborate across the value chain. iMicrobes exemplifies this approach by connecting the upstream potential of biotechnology with the downstream needs of chemical and materials industries.”

iMicrobes’ Technology

A key focus for iMicrobes is scaling its fermentation capabilities, including the production of bio-based acrylic acid—a versatile chemical commonly used in products like paints and diapers.

Traditionally derived from petrochemicals, acrylic acid is now being sustainably produced using iMicrobes’ proprietary pathways that utilize:

• Methane: A greenhouse gas sourced from industrial by-products and agricultural residues, repurposed into valuable raw materials.
• Ethanol: A biofuel with increasing potential for supporting domestic biomanufacturing, reducing reliance on imported raw materials.

With a pilot bioreactor capable of producing over 10 kg of product per run, iMicrobes is accelerating the commercialization of its bio-based acrylic acid platform.

Sustainable Carbon Fiber: Turning Waste into Value

Beyond acrylic acid, iMicrobes is making strides in carbon fiber production with its "Sustainable Carbon Fiber Made from Waste" project.

Funded through additional investments, this initiative converts ethanol and carbon dioxide waste streams into biobased carbon fiber.

This advancement not only supports domestic supply chain resilience but also enhances the sustainability of manufacturing processes.

A Vision for Net-Zero, High-Performance Materials

iMicrobes’ bioprocessing technologies are grounded in key principles:

• Renewable carbon feedstocks: Utilizing sustainable raw materials like methane and ethanol.
• Net-zero emissions: Reducing greenhouse gas impact.
• Cost-effective production: Delivering solutions that rival petrochemical alternatives in price and performance.
• Seamless integration: Ensuring biobased solutions fit existing industrial applications without compromising quality.

These principles allow industries to transition to sustainable materials without overhauling their existing workflows.

What’s Next for iMicrobes?

With its sights set on scaling production and delivering commercial-ready solutions, iMicrobes is poised to lead the charge in biomanufacturing. Dr. Noah Helman, CEO of iMicrobes, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the road ahead:

“Our team is excited to welcome our new investors, whose support will be pivotal as we bring innovative, sustainable products to market. This funding enables us to accelerate our transition to commercial scale, helping reduce global dependence on fossil fuels while offering cost-effective alternatives.”