Solugen is decarbonizing the chemicals industry with our flagship Bioforge™ platform, engineering enzymes to produce high-performance chemicals from renewable feedstocks.
Explore Our JourneyGaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt founded Solugen after a medical school poker game, inspired by the vision to decarbonize the chemicals industry using biological approaches.
FoundingSolugen joined Y Combinator and Gaurab Chakrabarti was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in Industry and Manufacturing, marking early recognition for the innovative approach.
RecognitionSolugen achieved 80% market share in the peroxide segment, demonstrating the commercial viability and performance superiority of their bio-based approach.
Market SuccessLed by Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC and Baillie Gifford, with participation from Temasek Holdings, BlackRock, and Carbon Direct. This round established Solugen as a unicorn company.
FundingCo-founders Gaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt discussed Solugen's chemienzymatic process, commercialization journey, and vision for carbon-negative chemical production.
MediaGaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt were named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 National Award Winners, recognized for revolutionizing chemical manufacturing through Bioforge technology.
AwardSolugen announced a strategic partnership with ADM to build a 500,000-square-foot biomanufacturing facility adjacent to ADM's Marshall, Minnesota corn complex.
PartnershipOfficial groundbreaking ceremony for the Bioforge Marshall facility on a 34-acre parcel adjacent to ADM's existing corn processing complex. The facility is scheduled to come online in fall 2025.
ConstructionSolugen ranked 36th on CNBC's 2024 Disruptor 50 list, recognized for decarbonizing the chemical industry using engineered enzymes and metal catalysts to convert feedstocks like sugar into chemicals traditionally derived from fossil fuels.
RecognitionThe U.S. Department of Energy committed $214 million loan for the Marshall, Minnesota facility. Solugen is one of only 20 companies to receive an industrial decarbonization loan and the only one focused on chemicals production.
FundingCEO Gaurab Chakrabarti discussed Solugen's decarbonization strategy, innovative technology, and commercialization approach with host Victoria Meyer, sharing insights from the company's journey.
MediaSolugen partnered with Kurita America to develop new carbon-negative products for industrial water treatment, replacing traditional petroleum-derived additives with high-performance bio-based alternatives.
PartnershipGaurab Chakrabarti appointed to a three-year term on the U.S. Commerce Department's Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT), advising on federal technology policy.
AppointmentCEO Gaurab Chakrabarti joined leaders from PETRONAS and Evonik to explore how the specialty chemicals industry must respond to future challenges, discussing Solugen's Bioforge platform as a real-world example of industry transformation.
SpeakingCo-Founder & CEO
Physician-scientist with MD/PhD in Cancer Biology and Enzymology from University of Texas. Former Brown University computational neuroscience student. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
Co-Founder & CTO
MIT chemical engineering graduate focused on improving traditional chemical manufacturing. Previously worked on developing fuel cells for the U.S. Navy, bringing deep technical expertise to Solugen's innovation.
Our revolutionary chemienzymatic process combines the best elements of fermentation and petrochemicals to create a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical manufacturing.
Sustainable feedstocks are fed into a cell-free enzyme oxidation reactor, initiating a highly efficient conversion process with low energy input.
Engineered metal catalysts convert materials into near-final products with higher selectivity, higher conversion, and lower temperatures than traditional processes.
Bioforge facilities can be built anywhere at speed and scale, decentralizing manufacturing and creating safer conditions for both humans and the environment.
Achieves 1 ton of product for every 1 ton of feedstock with minimal emissions. The first commercial facility in Houston is permitted without air and wastewater emissions.
"Solugen aims to decarbonize the chemical industry by using engineered enzymes and metal catalysts to convert feedstocks like sugar into chemicals traditionally derived from fossil fuels."
"There's a transformative power in being close to your resources and clientele," says CEO Gaurab Chakrabarti, emphasizing the importance of local supply chains.
"The first commercial plant offsets over 30,000 tons per year of CO2 equivalent, making it a net carbon-negative asset."
"Solugen is the only company focused on chemicals production to receive an industrial decarbonization loan from the DOE's Loan Programs Office."
Strategic partnership to build a 500,000-square-foot biomanufacturing facility in Marshall, Minnesota, with ADM providing dextrose from their corn complex.
Collaboration to develop carbon-negative products for industrial water treatment, replacing petroleum-derived additives with bio-based alternatives.
Evaluation of sustainable ingredients in care chemicals applications, exploring new markets for bio-based chemical solutions.
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