Transforming feedstock into valuable molecules using living organisms
Biotechnology is an enabler that uses living organisms such as bacteria, yeast, algae or microalgae to process raw materials or directly use their enzymes as biocatalysts. Biotechnology is not new, it’s been used for centuries, particularly for food and drink to make, for example, bread, cheese, and beer. It has also been used for decades to produce drugs for healthcare. However, while this is a mature technology in the food and health industries, it is still at the onset in our chemical world. At Syensqo, we are exploring new ways of transforming raw materials using biotechnology in many areas of our portfolio such as renewable formulation ingredients in Agro & Feed and Beauty Care, synthesis of new aromas, and bioremediation solutions in materials, in an economic and sustainable way.
Accelerating towards a more sustainable portfolio of products
Syensqo leverages Biotechnologies as an enabler to develop renewable carbon-based and safe chemistry to accelerate the transformation of our portfolio toward sustainable and circular solutions and to transition to a neutral carbon economy. Open Innovation is the cornerstone of our strategy either to develop tomorrow's processes and platforms (fermentation or cell-free) or directly new renewable molecules. In such partnerships, we bring our expertise and commitment to create a new win-win framework for both parties. We especially bring our knowledge of application requirements and our market access channels, as well as our expertise in downstream processing to scale-up biotech processes (separation, purification, etc.). We also add our Syensqo One Planet ambition and our ability to analyze and monitor sustainability implementation and progress through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Our aim is to produce innovative sustainable molecules and substitute conventional molecules with new ones that are more eco-friendly, non-animal.
In April 2023, Syensqo announced a strategic collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks: through this multi-year strategic collaboration agreement, Syensqo has joined forces with Ginkgo to unlock the power of synthetic biology as an enabler of more sustainable chemicals and materials, contributing to the transition towards more environmentally-friendly solutions. This alliance will start by focusing on new sustainable biopolymers, specialties that could tangibly impact a breadth of markets, from home and personal care to agriculture and food.
The potential to redesign value chains
Artificial intelligence, automation and the capacity to edit genetic sequences breakthrough, have led to a fundamental technology shift making biotechnology more flexible, affordable and predictable.
Syensqo recognizes biotechnology as the chemistry of the 21st century with the ability to reimagine the whole value chain by typically entering through recycled materials or using waste, promoting a new circular value chain.
As part of this partnership, Syensqo has also announced the decision to acquire a Ginkgo (formerly Zymergen) laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This acquisition will expand Syensqo's R&I footprint in the US, provide access to new talents, and establish a sustainable growth base in synthetic biology in one the most important biotech hubs in the world, accelerating the company’s biotech development plan.
Applying biotechnology to become more sustainable
As a leading solution provider, our aim is to propose and provide new functionalities and new value propositions that align with customer needs and aspirations. Therefore, in biotechnology, we are working on biodegradable, non-animal, biomimetic cosmetic ingredients, and sustainable ingredients for agriculture formulations, natural aromas and food ingredients, biobased solvents, biotech-enabled end-of-life management, bioremediation of pollutants and many more.
Biodegradable, non-animal formulation ingredients for Beauty Care
As a major beauty care player, Syensqo is focused on developing non-animal, biodegradable formulation ingredients. This is therefore a very important area for biotechnology to bring new solutions such as proteins to replace animal products and develop non-palm oil substitutes.
Bio crop protection solutions for Agriculture
Syensqo provides a lot of formulation ingredients to boost the next generation of bio-crop protection solutions. Biotechnology opens the possibility of shifting from conventional crop protection to biological solutions. Our objective is to develop formulation ingredients that are renewable and biodegradable that can be used in new biological activities.
Sustainable, bio-based high-performance polymers
As a leader in high-performance polymers, we are using biotechnology to develop new sustainable monomers that could help us to produce more sustainable, more bio-based polymers without compromising on performance.
