Fermeate is the first startup in the world to apply optogenetics and photomolecular gene circuits to microbial based biomanufacturing. In plain English, they control gene activity with pulsed, programmed light. 

Developed over the past 11 years in the Avalos lab at Princeton, Fermeate is from the same academic lineage that inspired Prolific Machines, which we launched in 2021. Fermeate has the seminal and broad IP that covers the microbial field.  

Photomolecular gene circuits open a new era in biomanufacturing. Essentially, software-like level of control, and fast on/off switching that allows biology to live up to the ideal of “programmability.” 

The use cases are vast, and Fermeate has already proven this by quickly signing 4 industrial partners in the food, fuel, agriculture, and specialty chemicals sectors. Booked revenue is over $500K during our program. They are also developing an in-house product to convert waste feedstock into natural, low calorie sweeteners, making that product class as cheap as sugar. 

Their hardware technology is an add-on to existing fermentation infrastructure, no new steel tanks required, and by dropping gene circuits into already-commercially deployed microbes of their partners, quickly increases yields and margins. 
We expect just as much success with Fermeate as we’ve had with Prolific, and the company is a “must meet” for any investors and corporates who are in the biomanufacturing sector.