Investing in Startups Utilizing Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is rewriting the rules of what's possible in biotech. By redesigning organisms at the genetic level, startups in this field are creating everything from sustainable materials to advanced therapeutics—often faster, cheaper, and more precisely than ever before.

For early-stage investors, synthetic biology presents a unique opportunity to back platform-level innovation with cross-industry impact.

What Is Synthetic Biology?

Synthetic biology (synbio) is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, engineering, computer science, and chemistry to design and construct new biological parts, systems, or organisms—or redesign existing ones.

Applications span:

• Health and pharmaceuticals (e.g., cell and gene therapies)

• Agriculture (e.g., bioengineered crops, synthetic fertilizers)

• Industrial manufacturing (e.g., bio-based plastics, alternative proteins)

• Climate tech (e.g., carbon sequestration microbes, biofuels)

Synbio is not limited to labs—these technologies are already being commercialized across sectors.

Why Synthetic Biology Is Gaining Traction

1. Cost Decline: DNA synthesis and sequencing costs have plummeted, accelerating R&D.

2. Platform Potential: Many synbio startups build programmable platforms, not one-off products.

3. Cross-Sector Demand: Pharma, food, energy, and materials sectors all benefit from bio-based innovation.

4. ESG Alignment: Synbio offers low-carbon alternatives to petrochemical-based manufacturing.

5. Government and Corporate Backing: Increasing funding and partnerships from major institutions and multinationals.

What Investors Should Look For

• Clear Application Path: Is the science moving toward a real-world product?

• Technical Talent: Founders with PhDs, research pedigree, or startup experience in biotech

• Platform vs Product: Does the tech allow for multiple applications or one narrow outcome?

• Regulatory Strategy: Is there a path to approval or market entry?

• Cost Structure: Can the company scale without prohibitive unit economics?

Signals of High-Potential Synbio Startups

• Proprietary gene-editing or chassis organism

• Industry collaborations or pilot programs

• IP portfolio and licensing potential

• Short time-to-market pipeline

• Data-driven iteration cycles using AI/ML tools

Example Startups in the Space

• Ginkgo Bioworks – Platform for designing custom microbes at scale

• Zymergen (acquired) – Molecular manufacturing

• Tessera Therapeutics – Genetic writing technology

• Pivot Bio – Engineered microbes for nitrogen fixation

• Bolt Threads – Synthetic spider silk and sustainable materials

These companies illustrate the diversity and scalability of synbio business models.

Raziel helps investors track synthetic biology investments by tagging platform vs application-specific companies, monitoring IP milestones, and modeling capital efficiency across biotech verticals.

With Raziel, you can:

• Track regulatory progress and commercialization status

• Benchmark platform expansion across industry segments

• Monitor cost-to-scale metrics relative to traditional bio/pharma

• Evaluate dilution and capital intensity across biotech stages

This helps investors bring structure and comparability to a complex technical category.

Engineered Biology, Engineered Alpha

Synthetic biology is unlocking programmable innovation across industries—turning living cells into factories, sensors, and tools. Startups in this space may carry scientific complexity, but they also offer platform-level scale and impact.

For investors, the opportunity lies in understanding the science and the business model.