Pioneering Bio-Based Materials for Everyday Products: Our Investment in ZymoChem
Today, more than 95% of chemicals found in everyday items like personal hygiene and textile products originate from non-renewable sources, mainly fossil fuels. Research highlights that the utilization of petroleum in industrial chemistry processes leads to a substantial 14% contribution to total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Enabling the production of high-value chemicals that replace petrochemical products is essential to achieving sustainability goals, and we are excited to announce Toyota Ventures’ investment in ZymoChem through our Climate Fund.
Founded in 2015, ZymoChem is a synthetic biology company based in San Leandro, California that is developing bio-based, low-carbon polymers that are scalable and cost-competitive for use in the manufacturing of everyday products. The company is co-founded by CEO Harshal Chokhawala, a distinguished biocatalysis expert, and chief scientific officer Jon Kuchenreuther, who has led ZymoChem’s platform technology development. The executive team also includes industry veterans with more than 60+ collective years of sales and business development experience from the chemicals, materials and consumer products sectors.
ZymoChem has developed a patented fermentation method that transforms renewable feedstocks into high-performance, bio-based and/or biodegradable polymers. Unlike conventional fermentation, where carbon is released as CO2, ZymoChem’s Carbon Conserving (C2) Technology process retains nearly all of the input carbon into the final product. By fine-tuning the sequence of chemical reactions within the microbes, the team has proven it can also slash nearly all GHG emissions as compared to conventional fermentation-based manufacturing.
This makes ZymoChem’s carbon footprint significantly lower than fossil fuel-based incumbents. Additionally, the platform technology has achieved an anaerobic advantage, meaning that ZymoChem does not need oxygen for any of the reactions to occur. This enables ZymoChem to scale faster than its competitors by avoiding the scaling challenges and costs associated with an oxygen-heavy process.
“ZymoChem’s scalable and bio-based, low-carbon polymers are a key step forward in reducing the manufacturing world’s reliance on fossil fuel-based chemicals. The company has successfully demonstrated the ability to leverage the breakthrough science behind its microbes to develop multiple bio-based polymers, targeting very large markets for everyday products, with both performance on par with fossil -based counterparts and little to no green premium at scale. We look forward to supporting the team as they usher in the transition to a low-carbon future.”
– Lisa Coca, partner, Toyota Ventures Climate Fund
One of its initial products is a high-performance bio-superabsorbent polymer (bio-SAP) intended for hygiene products like diapers — which ranks as the third-largest contributor to landfills among single-use items. The substantial $150 billion global hygiene market, where the quality and effectiveness hinge on absorbent polymers, presents a significant opportunity, particularly as many brands actively seek bio-based alternatives. To assist in the ramp-up to commercial scale, the company has built a consortium of partners that are excited to leverage these drop-in chemicals within their existing infrastructure.
What also distinguishes the company is that ZymoChem’s platform operates at a lower cost than traditional fossil fuel or petroleum-based chemical methods. The result is a far more efficient bioprocess that enables fully circular manufacturing with up to 50% lower cost than incumbents. In addition to the hygiene industry, ZymoChem plans to bring this cost-efficiency for use in textiles, apparel, paints, and adhesives.
We are proud to support the team’s mission to catalyze a real zero economy with drop-in, bio-based solutions. Toyota Ventures Climate Fund partner Lisa Coca and analyst Isay Acenas drove Toyota Ventures’ participation in ZymoChem’s $21 million Series A funding round. Led by Breakout Ventures, additional investors include lululemon athletica, GS Futures, KdT Ventures and Cavallo Ventures.
Visit ZymoChem’s website or the Toyota Ventures portfolio page to learn more.
