iMicrobes

What iMicrobes does

iMicrobes (Industrial Microbes, Inc.) is a US-based biomanufacturing company founded in 2014/2015 and headquartered in Alameda, California. The company engineers microorganisms — primarily E. coli strains modified to function as synthetic methanotrophs — to convert renewable feedstocks including ethanol and methane into bio-based chemicals via precision fermentation. Its core product is 100% bio-based acrylic acid, with a platform that also yields bio-based acrylonitrile, methacrylates, and the intermediate poly-3-hydroxypropionate (P3HP) biopolymer, which accumulates at up to 80-90% of cell dry weight and is thermally decomposed to produce high-purity acrylic acid without toxic solvents. The platform has scaled from 2-liter to 1,500-liter reactors (750x) and is backed by 23 patents across ethanol-to-chemicals and methane-to-chemicals pathways.

The company targets three primary customer segments: ethanol producers seeking to repurpose underutilized assets amid declining fuel demand, traditional acrylic acid producers seeking bio-based alternatives to propylene feedstock, and consumer brands requiring sustainable inputs for paints, coatings, adhesives, superabsorbent polymers, and packaging. Its business model combines enterprise field sales with co-development agreements, joint development projects, and technology licensing, where iMicrobes supplies the strain, bioprocess, samples, and IP and partners commercialize the end products. Pricing is positioned approximately 20% below petrochemical acrylic acid without reliance on subsidies, and the company reports a 75%+ reduction in carbon footprint versus traditional routes.

iMicrobes operates with 11-50 employees and has raised over $10M in equity via a November 2024 seed round led by First Bight Ventures with Universal Materials Incubator Co. (UMI), in addition to roughly $12M in prior grants and equity. Strategic partnerships with BioMADE, Agile BioFoundry, ABPDU, iFAB Tech Hub, and IBRL provide pilot-scale infrastructure and ML/proteomics expertise, while federal awards from the Department of Defense and Department of Energy support commercial-scale facility planning. As of 2024 the company reported four commercial partners and announced a 750x scale-up breakthrough for 100% bio-based acrylic acid in September 2025.

Name

iMicrobes

Legal name

Industrial Microbes, Inc.

Website

https://imicrobes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

iMicrobes (Industrial Microbes, Inc.) is a US biomanufacturing company that engineers E. coli microorganisms to convert renewable feedstocks (ethanol and methane) into 100% bio-based chemicals, primarily acrylic acid, serving chemical producers, ethanol producers, and consumer brands via co-development and licensing partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bio-based Industrial Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (32519)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Enzymes & Industrial Biotechnology Inputs (Enzymes, Microbial Strains, Fermentation Aids) (EUAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Bio-based chemicals
• Precision fermentation
• Industrial biomanufacturing
• Acrylic acid production
• Renewable feedstocks

Headquarters

HQ city

Alameda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bio-based Chemical Product Sales: iMicrobes sells bio-based chemicals (primarily acrylic acid) produced through their proprietary fermentation process. The company provides the strain, bioprocess, samples, and intellectual property to partners who take materials to market. Revenue is generated through product sales and co-development agreements with chemical producers.
2. Technology Licensing and IP: iMicrobes provides their proprietary microorganisms, bioprocess technology, and intellectual property to partners for commercial production. Licensing arrangements enable chemical companies to use their technology for producing bio-based alternatives.
3. Joint Development and Consulting Services: The company co-develops biomanufacturing processes with partners, providing technical expertise, process optimization, and scale-up support. This includes technoeconomic modeling, feedstock testing, and process validation services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

iMicrobes (Industrial Microbes, Inc.) develops and produces 100% bio-based chemicals — primarily acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, methacrylates, and P3HP biopolymer — using engineered microorganisms (E. coli) that convert renewable feedstocks such as ethanol and methane into drop-in industrial chemicals through precision fermentation. The company provides proprietary microbial strains, bioprocess technology, samples, and intellectual property to enterprise partners (chemical producers, ethanol producers, consumer brands) under joint development agreements, with partners taking the resulting materials to commercial market.

Product overview

iMicrobes (Industrial Microbes) is a biomanufacturing company that produces 100% bio-based chemicals and materials using programmable microbes and precision fermentation. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Bio-Based Acrylic Acid as the primary product for paints, coatings, adhesives, and personal care; (2) Bio-Based Acrylonitrile as a precursor for carbon fiber; (3) Poly-3-Hydroxypropionate (P3HP) Biopolymer as an intermediate that converts to acrylic acid via thermal decomposition; and (4) Bio-Based Methacrylates for acrylic glass applications. The company operates a platform technology that converts renewable feedstocks (ethanol, methane, CO2) into drop-in chemicals using engineered microorganisms, combining multiple chemical reactions in a single reactor at mild temperatures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 75%+ carbon footprint reduction vs. petrochemical acrylic acid production
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• BioMADE - Sustainable Carbon Fiber ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2024iMicrobes was selected for a $26.9M BioMADE project to create sustainable carbon fiber from waste, transforming ethanol and CO2 into biobased carbon fiber for stronger US domestic supply chains.
• BioMADEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024BioMADE provided funding and support for scaling up 100% bio-based acrylic acid production. Technology Program Manager Ashley Arnell highlighted how this strengthens domestic supply chains for high-value chemicals.
• iFAB Tech Hub (Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2024iFAB Tech Hub, awarded $51M EDA grant, partnered with iMicrobes for pilot-scale production of biobased acrylic acid at IBRL. Part of building Central Illinois as the go-to destination for sustainable biomanufacturing.
• Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 August 2024IBRL at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign conducted pilot-scale test runs for iMicrobes to demonstrate scalability and produce larger samples of biobased acrylic acid.
• Agile BioFoundrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2023DOE's Agile BioFoundry partnered with iMicrobes to scale up bio-based processes using machine learning and high-throughput proteomics. Achieved 300-liter scale production of P3HP precursor.
• Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 7 October 2023ABPDU, a DOE facility specializing in scaling bio-based processes, collaborated with iMicrobes to scale production from 2L to 300L. The partnership validated strain robustness and process scalability.
• Department of Energy (DOE) - Agile BioFoundrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2021iMicrobes was selected by DOE to collaborate with the Agile BioFoundry on machine learning tools for gas fermentation to predict performance and improve productivity.
• Opus 12minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2019iMicrobes and Opus 12 were jointly awarded $1M to turn waste gas (CO2 and methane) into valuable chemicals by combining electrochemical process with gas fermentation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LanzaTech: LanzaTech is a gas fermentation company that uses engineered microbes to convert carbon-rich gases (CO, CO2) into ethanol and other chemicals, including sustainable aviation fuel. It directly parallels iMicrobes' approach of using engineered microorganisms to produce commodity chemicals from renewable feedstocks, and is further along in commercialization.
• Visolis: Visolis is developing bio-based acrylic acid and other specialty chemicals using engineered microorganisms and fermentation, directly competing with iMicrobes' core product (bio-based acrylic acid) and target markets (paints, coatings, adhesives).
• Lygos: Lygos uses precision fermentation to produce bio-based organic acids (notably malonic acid) for specialty chemicals applications. It shares iMicrobes' technology foundation (engineered microbes, precision fermentation) and target market (sustainable replacements for petrochemical-derived organic acids).
• Amyris: Amyris pioneered bio-based specialty chemicals production via engineered yeast fermentation (though it has gone through significant restructuring). It is a direct comparability reference for the technology and business model iMicrobes is pursuing, including cautionary lessons on capital intensity and scale-up challenges.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: BASF is the world's largest chemical company and a leading producer of petrochemical acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, and methacrylates. It represents the incumbent competitive threat iMicrobes must displace in commodity chemical end markets, with massive scale, entrenched customers, and optimized production economics.
• Arkema: Arkema is a major global specialty chemicals producer with significant acrylic acid and methacrylate production capacity. It is a key incumbent competitor in the same downstream markets iMicrobes targets, and is also an indirect customer/partnership target given its Imagine Chemistry startup program history.
• Cargill: Cargill operates large-scale industrial fermentation for bio-based products including lactic acid, bio-PDO, and other commodity chemicals. Its established fermentation infrastructure and agricultural feedstock supply chain make it both a potential competitor and a strategic partner for iMicrobes.
• Novonesis (formerly Novozymes): Novonesis is the global leader in industrial enzymes and microbial solutions, with deep expertise in fermentation and enzyme engineering. It represents the established industrial biotech ecosystem player with which iMicrobes must compete for talent, partnerships, and customer relationships.

Emerging players

• Ginkgo Bioworks: Ginkgo Bioworks is a synthetic biology platform company that engineers microbes for customers across industries. While it operates a codevelopment platform rather than directly producing chemicals, it competes with iMicrobes for synthetic biology talent, customer mindshare, and venture capital.
• Bloom Biorenewables: Bloom Biorenewables develops bio-based materials (including furan-based polymers and chemicals) from renewable feedstocks using proprietary chemistry. It is comparable as an emerging player targeting the same bio-based chemicals and materials market with a different but adjacent technology approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iMicrobesInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3693772

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about iMicrobes