BioMADE Invests $21.4M in U.S. Biomanufacturing Projects, Workforce Development
BioMADE, a bioindustrial nonprofit with over 300 members across 40 states, on April 29 announced $21.4 million in funding across 14 projects aimed at advancing biomanufacturing, strengthening domestic supply chains and expanding the bioindustrial workforce talent.
According to the organization, the projects are supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. National Science Foundation and involve 23 member organizations. The initiative targets production of bio-based materials, including lithium extraction from industrial byproducts, bioplastics, proteins and biosensors, while incorporating technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced purification systems.
Several projects focus on chemical manufacturing and process innovation. One initiative led by AlkaLi Labs will develop a microbial process to extract lithium from produced water, targeting a scalable approach to biomining of a key battery material. Another project from Mango Materials and the University of California, Davis aims to improve downstream processing efficiency for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from methane, a pathway to lower-cost bioplastics used in films, fibers and additive manufacturing.
A third effort led by Boston University and Capra Biosciences will deploy wireless, in-bioreactor microbial sensors to generate real-time data streams for fermentation systems, enabling predictive control using artificial intelligence and machine learning. According to the organization, the approach is intended to improve yield, efficiency and scalability in industrial bioprocessing.
BioMADE said additional projects support applications including biosensors, proteins and advanced materials, as well as workforce training programs designed to expand biomanufacturing talent. The organization added that the initiative is intended to strengthen domestic supply chains and accelerate commercialization of bioindustrial technologies.
According to the organization, the investments are intended to reduce reliance on foreign inputs, improve process scalability and support production of chemicals, materials and fuels from domestic feedstocks such as agricultural resources and waste streams.
In a press statement, the organization said the projects also address supply chain resilience and national security by enabling domestic production of critical materials and supporting point-of-need manufacturing capabilities.
The organization added that the program integrates early-stage research with scale-up and commercialization efforts to accelerate deployment of bioindustrial manufacturing technologies.
Read the full press release for more on each project.
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