Midwest Bioprocessing Center

What Midwest Bioprocessing Center does

Midwest Bioprocessing Center (MBC) is a privately held biotechnology company founded in 2019 as a spin-off of zuChem, Inc. and headquartered in Peoria, Illinois in the PeoriaNEXT Innovation Center. MBC specializes in proprietary enzymatic and cell-free bioprocessing combined with fermentation to manufacture biobased specialty ingredients and rare carbohydrate chemicals. The company serves B2B customers in personal care/cosmetics, pharmaceutical R&D and drug discovery, food and nutrition, and sustainable specialty chemicals, operating across three commercial platforms: FeruliShield (patented feruloyl glyceride cosmetic actives under the iActive brand, available in soybean, coconut, and hemp seed oil variants), zuCarb (rare sugars, deoxysugars, activated sugars, and glycochemical building blocks for pharmaceutical research), and MBC Bioprocess Services (custom fermentation, enzyme engineering, scale-up, and commercialization support). The company also retains the ThermoCat stable biocatalysts brand acquired from zuChem.

MBC's underlying technology is a proprietary enzymatic and cell-free synthesis platform, supported by protein engineering, synthetic biology, fermentation optimization, and computational bioinformatics applied to novel molecule design. The platform is positioned to produce carbohydrate and lipid molecules that are difficult or impossible to synthesize via traditional chemistry. Core IP includes issued patents on the FeruliShield family, USDA Biobased certification, and methods for producing deoxysugars for drug discovery funded through NIH SBIR grants. The company's commercial value proposition rests on providing sustainable, biobased, and technically validated ingredients with quantifiable performance benefits such as antioxidant protection, SPF boosting, photostability of sensitive actives, and biodegradability more than 80x greater than petroleum-based alternatives.

MBC monetizes through direct ingredient sales (FeruliShield and zuCarb products), contract bioprocess R&D services, and custom synthesis projects. Go-to-market uses direct B2B sales, an exclusive North American distribution partnership with McKinley Resources for FeruliShield, and the Knowde marketplace for iActive ingredients. The company participates in industry conferences (NY SCC Suppliers Day, C&T Allē Awards, ACS National Meetings, AFCC Conference) and uses content marketing, LinkedIn, and press releases for visibility. Funding has come primarily from non-dilutive sources, including approximately $2 million in NIH SBIR awards (Phase I $217,000 in June 2022 and Phase II $1,800,000 in December 2023) plus Illinois Innovation Voucher Program funding supporting a University of Illinois IBRL bioreactor partnership targeting 12 tons/year of FeruliShield by early 2026 and 24 tons/year by 2027. No private equity or venture capital investment is disclosed in source materials.

Name

Midwest Bioprocessing Center

Legal name

Midwest Bioprocessing Center, LLC

Website

https://mwbioprocessing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest Bioprocessing Center is a Peoria, Illinois biotech that uses proprietary enzymatic and cell-free bioprocessing to produce biobased feruloyl glyceride cosmetic ingredients (FeruliShield) and rare sugars and glycochemicals (zuCarb) for B2B formulators, pharmaceutical R&D customers, and contract bioprocess clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Biobased Ingredients

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Fermentation Substrates & Sugars (Molasses, Glucose Syrups, Lactose, Malt Extract) (AFAJAJAI), Bio-based Food & Flavor Ingredients (Non-fuel Co-products: sweeteners, organic acids, flavors) (EUAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Bioprocess services
• Specialty carbohydrates
• Biobased cosmetic ingredients
• Rare sugar production
• Enzymatic fermentation technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ingredient Product Sales: Sale of proprietary biobased ingredients including FeruliShield feruloyl glycerides (personal care/cosmetics) and zuCarb rare sugars and glycochemicals (pharmaceutical R&D). Products sold through direct sales, distribution partners, and marketplace listings.
2. Bioprocess Services: Fee-for-service contract research and development, custom synthesis, and collaborative technology development. Supports customers in developing sustainable specialty ingredients, advanced biomolecules, and innovative manufacturing technologies from concept through commercialization.
3. Custom Synthesis Projects: Custom synthesis of glycochemicals and development of new manufacturing processes for clients requiring specialized carbohydrate technologies or difficult-to-source compounds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Midwest Bioprocessing Center develops and commercializes proprietary biobased ingredients and bioprocess technologies using enzymatic processing, cell-free synthesis, and fermentation. The company sells the FeruliShield family of patented feruloyl glyceride ingredients (Soy, Coco, Hemp variants) for personal care and cosmetic applications, the zuCarb rare sugar and glycochemical platform for pharmaceutical R&D and drug discovery, and contract bioprocess services including custom synthesis, fermentation optimization, and scale-up support.

Product overview

Midwest Bioprocessing Center operates three distinct product/service platforms: (1) iActive™ brand for cosmetics/personal care featuring the FeruliShield™ feruloyl glyceride line with variants using soybean oil (FeruliShield Soy), coconut oil (FeruliShield Coco), and hemp seed oil (FeruliShield Hemp); (2) zuCarb™ rare sugar and glycochemical platform supplying monosaccharides, polyols, oligosaccharides, and activated nucleoside sugars for pharmaceutical R&D and drug discovery; and (3) MBC Bioprocess Services offering custom fermentation, enzyme engineering, and scale-up support. The company also holds the ThermoCat™ stable biocatalysts brand acquired from zuChem. The portfolio is unified by proprietary enzymatic bioprocessing, fermentation, and cell-free synthesis technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iActive: Brand for cosmetics and personal care ingredients including FeruliShield feruloyl glycerides for advanced skincare and sun care applications.
• zuCarb
• FeruliShield
• MBC Bioprocess Services

Products and services

• FeruliShield™ Award-winning family of patented biobased feruloyl glycerides derived from ferulic acid enzymatically linked to natural oils, designed for antioxidant protection, SPF boosting, photostability enhancement, and formulation flexibility in skincare, sun care, and personal care applications. Sold to cosmetic and personal care formulators under the iActive brand.
• FeruliShield™ Hemp Hemp seed oil-based FeruliShield variant combining antioxidant and photoprotective benefits of ferulic acid with lightweight, non-comedogenic formulation properties of hemp seed oil. Winner of the 2026 C&T Allē Award in the Skin Care and Sun Protection category.
• FeruliShield™ Soy Original FeruliShield ingredient based on feruloylated soybean oil, combining antioxidant and photoprotective properties of ferulic acid with the formulation advantages of soybean oil for personal care applications.
• FeruliShield™ Coco Coconut-derived FeruliShield variant offering flexible personal care formulation options using the feruloyl glyceride technology platform.
• zuCarb™ Rare carbohydrate and glycochemical technology platform providing access to difficult-to-obtain sugars, deoxysugars, activated sugars, and specialty intermediates for pharmaceutical R&D, drug discovery, glycoscience research, and diagnostic applications. Sold to pharmaceutical and biotech researchers.
• MBC Bioprocess Services Custom process development, fermentation optimization, strain engineering, and commercialization support services. Includes contract R&D, collaborative technology development, and startup partnership programs for sustainable specialty ingredient manufacturing, offered to biotech, nutrition, and industrial clients.
• ThermoCat™ Stable biocatalysts brand acquired from zuChem, used for biocatalysis applications in carbohydrate and specialty chemical production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Biodegradability more than 80x greater than petroleum-based sunscreen alternatives
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025MBC partnered with IBRL to design and implement next-generation bioreactors for large-scale production of FeruliShield. Project funded by Illinois Manufacturing and Innovation Voucher Program. Collaboration combines MBC's proprietary bioprocessing technology with IBRL's pilot-scale engineering expertise to optimize reactor design, mixing, and enzyme performance. Goal to reduce production costs and environmental footprint while strengthening Illinois' leadership in the U.S. bioeconomy.
• gener8tor gBETA Distillery Labs AcceleratorminorOthers · 22 April 2025MBC selected for gBETA Distillery Labs Spring 2025 accelerator program, an intensive program providing access to gener8tor's network of mentors, investors, corporate partners, and customers. Program culminates in showcase event for presenting to investors and community leaders.
• Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech HubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IBRL, MBC's partner in the bioreactor project, is a lead consortium member for the iFAB Tech Hub, a consortium of higher education institutions and biotech industry leaders working to translate cutting-edge research into scalable, sustainable manufacturing solutions.
• McKinley ResourcescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2023Exclusive North American distribution partnership for FeruliShield feruloyl glycerides ingredients for cosmetics and personal care applications. McKinley Resources is a leading supplier of skin care, hair care, and OTC active ingredients with established industry presence to broadly target MBC's products to the personal care and cosmetic industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Biosynth Carbosynth: Supplier of carbohydrates, nucleosides, and specialty biochemicals for pharmaceutical R&D and diagnostics. Directly comparable to MBC's zuCarb platform in providing rare sugars, deoxysugars, and activated sugar building blocks.
• Cayman Chemical: Specialty biochemical supplier serving life sciences research, with broad catalogs of carbohydrate and natural product derivatives used in drug discovery. Comparable as a research-grade specialty ingredient supplier with similar customer profiles to zuCarb.
• Conagen: Biotech contract manufacturer and ingredient developer using fermentation and bioconversion to produce specialty ingredients for personal care, food, and pharma. Closely comparable in business model, technology stack, and target end markets to MBC.
• Sytheon: Specialty personal care ingredient company focused on ferulic acid and related antioxidant chemistries for skincare and sun care. Directly comparable to MBC's FeruliShield platform in offering ferulic-acid-derived cosmetic actives.
• zuChem, Inc. The original carbohydrate bioprocessing company from which MBC spun off in 2019, sharing the same CEO and core glycochemistry/biocatalysis capabilities. Directly comparable in rare sugar synthesis and biocatalyst development.

Broad incumbents

• Evonik Industries: Global specialty chemicals company with a sizable biotechnology and cosmetic ingredients portfolio. Comparable as a broad incumbent in biobased specialty ingredients but at vastly larger scale and across wider markets.
• Amyris: Synthetic biology company producing fermentation-derived specialty ingredients for personal care and flavors/fragrances. Comparable in using fermentation to produce biobased cosmetic actives, though at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Codexis: Public enzyme engineering company providing biocatalysts and custom enzyme development for pharmaceutical and industrial customers. Comparable in proprietary protein engineering and biocatalysis technology, but at significantly larger scale.
• BASF: Largest chemical producer with an extensive biobased and cosmetic ingredients portfolio including fermentation-derived actives. Comparable in addressing personal care and industrial biobased markets, but with much broader product breadth and global scale.

Emerging players

• Geltor: Animal-free protein and specialty ingredient producer using fermentation and synthetic biology for personal care and food. Comparable in applying precision fermentation to produce biobased specialty ingredients for cosmetics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwestbioprocessingcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/midwestbioprocessingcenter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors1 record

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 Midwest Bioprocessing Center