Zymochem
ZymoChem is a US biotech that uses proprietary Carbon Conserving (C2) engineered microbes to convert renewable feedstocks into bio-based materials, selling BAYSE Bio-SAP and bio-nylon 6,6 as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based incumbents to Fortune 500 hygiene, apparel, and chemicals customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Leandro, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Zymochem does
ZymoChem is a US biotechnology company (founded 2013, incorporated 2015; HQ San Leandro, CA; 51-100 employees) that has developed a proprietary Carbon Conserving (C2) fermentation platform using engineered de novo microbes to convert renewable feedstocks into bio-based materials with near-zero CO2 emissions during fermentation. The company claims up to 50% higher yields than best-in-class biomanufacturing and up to 50% lower cost than petroleum-based incumbents, positioning its products as cost-competitive drop-in replacements rather than 'green premium' alternatives. Its first commercial product is BAYSE Bio-SAP, marketed as the world's first scalable, 100% bio-based and biodegradable superabsorbent polymer targeting the $145 billion global hygiene industry, with adjacent programs in bio-based nylon 6,6, polyurethanes, polyesters, and coatings.
ZymoChem operates a B2B, enterprise field-sales model, monetizing through three streams: bio-based material sales (primarily BAYSE Bio-SAP and future bio-nylon), joint development agreements with corporate partners (executed JDAs with a Fortune 500 chemical company for coatings and a multi-year collaboration with lululemon for nylon 6,6), and platform licensing royalties protected by a multi-generational, multi-product patent portfolio (8 granted patents as of 2025). Its go-to-market is partnership-driven and concentrated in a small number of Fortune 500 anchors and global apparel brands, with strategic investors including lululemon and Toyota Ventures reinforcing commercial alignment.
The company has been capitalized primarily through venture equity (~$25M+ including a $21M Series A led by Breakout Ventures in January 2024 and a follow-on round in May 2025) and substantial US government support (~$11M+ across DOE BETO, ARPA-E, DOE SBIR II, and DoD DBIMP awards). It is a Public Benefit Corporation (2024) and Certified B Corporation (2025), reflecting a mission-aligned positioning around decarbonization of the chemicals and materials value chain. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and commercial-scale BAYSE production was only achieved in February 2025, placing the company at an early commercialization stage.
Zymochem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zymochem
- Legal name
- ZymoChem
- Website
- https://zymochem.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ZymoChem is a US biotech that uses proprietary Carbon Conserving (C2) engineered microbes to convert renewable feedstocks into bio-based materials, selling BAYSE Bio-SAP and bio-nylon 6,6 as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based incumbents to Fortune 500 hygiene, apparel, and chemicals customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zymochem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bio-based Materials and Polymers
- NAICS
- Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)
- SIC
- Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMANANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bio-based Polymers & Bioplastics (e.g., PLA, PHA, bio-PE/PP/PET, PBS) (EUAAAIAC), Bio-based Resins, Adhesives, Coatings & Sealants (EUAAAIAG), Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB)
Keywords
Where Zymochem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Leandro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Zymochem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bio-based Material Sales: Sale of proprietary bio-based materials including BAYSE Bio-SAP and other bio-based polymers to consumer product companies in hygiene, textiles, and other industries. Revenue derived from direct product sales as drop-in replacements for petroleum-based ingredients.
- Joint Development Agreements: Executed JDA with Fortune 500 chemical company for development of bio-based coatings and other materials. Revenue generated through R&D collaboration fees and milestone payments.
- Licensing Royalties: Multi-generational and multi-product patents covering Carbon Conserving technology. Platform licensing to partners for production of bio-based materials.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Zymochem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZymoChem manufactures bio-based materials through a proprietary Carbon Conserving (C2) fermentation platform that uses engineered microbes to convert renewable feedstocks into high-value polymers. Its flagship product is BAYSE Bio-SAP, the world's first scalable, 100% bio-based and biodegradable superabsorbent polymer designed as a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based SAP used in hygiene products. The company also develops bio-based nylon 6,6, polyurethanes, polyesters, and coatings through joint development partnerships with major brands.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BAYSE Bio-SAP BAYSE is a scalable, 100% bio-based and biodegradable superabsorbent polymer designed as a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based SAP in disposable hygiene products such as diapers, feminine hygiene, and adult incontinence products. It offers matching or superior absorption performance with biodegradability at end of life, targeting hygiene manufacturers seeking sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based superabsorbents.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% higher yield than today's best-in-class biomanufacturing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Zymochem
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Zymochem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Zymochem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Agile BioFoundrycorePartnership with the Agile BioFoundry consortium of U.S. National Laboratories (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) to accelerate research on bio-adipic acid for bio-nylon 6,6 production. Collaboration backed by $250,000 in DOE research funding over 24 months, using proteomics and machine learning to develop microbial hosts.
- LululemonflagshipMulti-year collaboration to scale bio-based nylon 6,6 for commercial use. Partnership builds on Lululemon's earlier Series A investment. Companies intend to incorporate sustainable material into Lululemon's existing product lines including Align and Wunder Train. Lululemon invested $21 million in ZymoChem's Series A.
- Fashion for GoodcoreSelected for 2023 Fashion for Good Innovation Platform, participating in nine-month innovation programme with bespoke support to validate technology for implementation across fashion value chain.
- BioMADEcoreSelected by DoD's BioMADE manufacturing consortium in 2023 to collectively build a sustainable, domestic, end-to-end bio-industrial manufacturing ecosystem.
- World's Leading Apparel BrandflagshipCollaboration established with world's leading apparel brand (referenced as Lululemon) for bio-based material development to fuel net-zero goals through low-cost, low-carbon footprint materials.
- Fortune 500 Chemical CompanycoreExecuted Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for bio-based coatings and specialty chemicals with lower carbon footprint. Represents first major corporate partnership for platform commercialization.
- Agile BioFoundry (2018)coreInitial partnership with Agile BioFoundry funded by U.S. Department of Energy BETO to support polymers business expansion.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zymochem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NatureWorks: NatureWorks is the world's largest producer of bio-based PLA polymers, serving packaging, hygiene, and fiber end-markets with drop-in replacements for petroleum plastics. It is directly comparable to ZymoChem in using fermentation to produce bio-based resins for hygiene and textile applications.
- Genomatica: Genomatica develops bio-based chemicals via engineered fermentation, including bio-BDO and bio-nylon intermediates (notably the GENO CPL process). It competes head-to-head with ZymoChem's bio-nylon 6,6 / bio-adipic acid pathway in delivering fermentation-derived building blocks to chemicals and textile value chains.
- Danimer Scientific: Danimer Scientific produces PHA-based bioplastics (Nodax) marketed as biodegradable drop-in replacements for conventional plastics in single-use applications. It is directly comparable to ZymoChem's BAYSE in offering biodegradable, bio-based polymer solutions to packaging and hygiene customers.
- Amyris: Amyris uses engineered yeast fermentation to produce bio-based specialty ingredients and materials for cosmetics, flavors, and industrial applications. It is comparable to ZymoChem in leveraging synthetic biology to displace petroleum-derived ingredients with fermentation-based alternatives at scale.
- Spiber: Spiber produces Brewed Protein, a fermentation-derived protein fiber used as a sustainable alternative to cashmere, wool, and other textile fibers, with apparel partnerships (e.g., Goldwin). It is directly comparable to ZymoChem's bio-nylon 6,6 play in bringing fermentation-based materials into major apparel supply chains.
- Novamont: Novamont manufactures Mater-Bi, a family of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics used in packaging, hygiene, and agricultural applications. It is directly comparable to ZymoChem's BAYSE and bio-plastics in providing bio-based, biodegradable polymer alternatives to single-use plastics.
- TotalEnergies Corbion: TotalEnergies Corbion is a 50/50 joint venture producing Luminy PLA bioplastics from sugarcane for packaging, durables, and fibers. It is directly comparable to ZymoChem as a major-scale producer of bio-based, biodegradable polymer resins competing in similar end-markets.
Emerging players
- Bolt Threads (now Helio): Bolt Threads developed bio-based silk and leather alternatives via fermentation, partnering with major apparel brands. Although it has shifted focus toward Helio and b-silk protein ingredients, it remains comparable to ZymoChem as an early mover applying biotech to textile materials.
- Checkerspot: Checkerspot uses fermentation to produce novel polyols and oils used in high-performance textiles, cosmetics, and materials. It is comparable to ZymoChem in leveraging microbial fermentation to deliver bio-based inputs for textiles and consumer products, though at smaller scale.
Broad incumbents
- LanzaTech: LanzaTech uses gas-fermenting microbes to convert industrial off-gases into ethanol and chemical intermediates, including pathways to nylon and other materials. It is comparable to ZymoChem as a larger, publicly-disclosed industrial biotech platform pursuing fermentation-derived chemicals/materials, though with a broader feedstock and product footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zymochem social profiles
Digital presenceZymochem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zymochem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Zymochem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors23 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zymochem M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zymochem
What does Zymochem do?
ZymoChem manufactures bio-based materials through a proprietary Carbon Conserving (C2) fermentation platform that uses engineered microbes to convert renewable feedstocks into high-value polymers. Its flagship product is BAYSE Bio-SAP, the world's first scalable, 100% bio-based and biodegradable superabsorbent polymer designed as a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based SAP used in hygiene products. The company also develops bio-based nylon 6,6, polyurethanes, polyesters, and coatings through joint development partnerships with major brands.
Is Zymochem a public or private company?
Zymochem is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Zymochem founded?
Zymochem was founded in 2013. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Zymochem based?
Zymochem is headquartered in San Leandro, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zymochem make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bio-based Material Sales are the primary driver. The others are joint Development Agreements and licensing Royalties.
Who are Zymochem's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NatureWorks, Genomatica, Danimer Scientific, Amyris, Spiber, Novamont and TotalEnergies Corbion. Emerging players are Bolt Threads (now Helio) and Checkerspot. LanzaTech is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Zymochem have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zymochem.
What industry is Zymochem in?
Zymochem's product category is Bio-based Materials and Polymers. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANANAA, Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT), with a secondary code of EUAAAIAC, Bio-based Polymers & Bioplastics (e.g., PLA, PHA, bio-PE/PP/PET, PBS). Its NAICS code is 325211 and its SIC code is 2821.