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How one company is producing carbon-negative chemicals using bacteria
In a world searching for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived products, Deep Blue Biotech – a graduate of climate-tech-focused fund Carbon13’s 2023 Venture Builder programme – is making waves with an innovative approach to chemical production.
Using cyanobacteria – one of the most efficient photosynthetic organisms on the planet – they're developing technology that not only creates valuable chemicals for the personal care industry but removes CO2 from the atmosphere through the process.
Tim Corcoran and Manuel Rios from Deep Blue Biotech sat down with us on the Angel Insights Podcast to talk through their groundbreaking work in synthetic biology, their business model, and their vision for a more sustainable future.
The power of synthetic biology
Deep Blue Biotech is leveraging synthetic biology – essentially "coding life," as Manuel Rios describes it – to create valuable chemicals using cyanobacteria. This approach allows them to edit how organisms work to produce something different from what they would naturally create.
Synthetic biology has widespread applications across pharmaceuticals, agriculture, sustainable materials, energy, and chemicals. For Deep Blue Biotech, it provides the tools to create a manufacturing process that's not only environmentally friendly but potentially carbon-negative.
Why cyanobacteria?
What makes cyanobacteria special is its efficiency at photosynthesis. While most people might only know it from algal blooms in lakes, this remarkable organism can convert CO2 into useful chemicals using just water, carbon dioxide, and light.
Unlike other microorganisms used in synthetic biology, such as yeast or E. coli, cyanobacteria don't require sugar or other feedstocks. This means their production process doesn't contribute to deforestation or agricultural land use – further enhancing the sustainability credentials of their approach.
The specific strain used by Deep Blue Biotech is ocean-derived, discovered in Singapore's harbour. They keep it in a closed-system photo bioreactor, ensuring it remains completely separated from the natural environment.
From CO2 to high-value chemicals
The process is elegantly simple: cyanobacteria in a water-based photo bioreactor are exposed to light and CO2. Through photosynthesis, they break down the CO2 and convert it into valuable chemicals, which are then secreted into the water.
Their first target product is hyaluronic acid – a highly sought-after ingredient in skincare products known for its moisturising properties and ability to penetrate the skin barrier. Traditionally produced from animal sources or through sugar-intensive fermentation, Deep Blue Biotech's approach offers a more sustainable alternative.
"The initial calculations based upon the hyaluronic acid example show that for every ton of hyaluronic acid we produce, we will either capture or mitigate around seven and a half to eight tons of CO2," explains Tim Corcoran.
With hyaluronic acid typically priced above $2,000 per kilogram, the economics are as attractive as the environmental benefits.
Beyond hyaluronic acid
Deep Blue Biotech's business model involves producing final ingredients ready to be integrated into cosmetic formulations, engaging directly with major manufacturers like L'Oreal and Unilever, as well as independent brands.
The personal care sector offers a strategic entry point with more manageable regulatory hurdles compared to pharmaceuticals or food, while still providing high-value products and established pathways for biotechnology-derived ingredients.
Hyaluronic acid is just the beginning. Deep Blue Biotech has ambitious plans to develop other high-value chemicals. Their technology platform can potentially produce peptides, carotenoids, and eventually even biofuels like butanol.
The modular nature of their photo bioreactors means they can scale production efficiently. Starting with a 1,000-liter system capable of producing about a kilogram of hyaluronic acid per week, they aim to eventually operate million-liter facilities producing a ton weekly.
The road ahead
Despite challenges in the current funding environment, Deep Blue Biotech has made significant progress. They've secured pre-seed funding led by Sustainable Ventures, won two Innovate UK grants, and established a fully functioning lab in Sheffield with a team of scientists.
They've successfully created five genetically modified strains containing hyaluronic acid synthase and are working on combining these modifications to optimise yield. Simultaneously, they're partnering with a team in Portugal to scale up to a 1,000-liter photo bioreactor.
Looking toward the future, they anticipate having products with their hyaluronic acid in the market by 2027, with the ultimate vision of changing how consumers perceive sustainable products.
"We want to flip that narrative," says Manuel. "We want to make sustainable products a shortcut for cost-effectiveness, superiority, and efficacy."
The bigger picture
Deep Blue Biotech exemplifies how innovative biotechnology can address multiple challenges simultaneously: reducing dependency on fossil fuels, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and creating economically viable products that don't compromise on performance.
Their approach challenges the first generation of sustainable products that Manuel describes as having "fundamentally failed consumers" by being more expensive without providing additional benefits or having reduced efficacy.
By creating sustainable products that are superior to conventional alternatives, Deep Blue Biotech isn't just tackling climate change – they're helping to drive a market shift where making the environmentally friendly choice becomes the obvious one for both businesses and consumers. You can find our more about Deep Blue Biotech here.
Listen to the full Angel Insights podcast episode for more insights into synthetic biology, sustainable chemical production, and the future of carbon-negative manufacturing.
Find out more about Carbon13’s portfolio of climate-tech innovators
Deep Blue Biotech is just one of many companies backed by Carbon13 aiming to protect Earth's vital systems by reducing carbon or a carbon equivalent. Each year 10-20 companies focused on similar climate problems complete the Carbon13 venture builder programme and receive funding from the Carbon13 SEIS fund to grow.
If you want to make a meaningful and be part of the climate solution you may wish to consider investing in SyndicateRoom's
Carbon13 SEIS fund. Beyond backing innovative climate tech companies in a rapidly growing sector you may also benefit from significant tax relief.
Visit our Carbon13 SEIS Fund page to find out more and be part of the solution.
