# Lygos

Lygos is an other based in Berkeley, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** other
- **Headquarters:** Berkeley, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Berkeley, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 2010
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** lygos.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/lygos

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Lygos, a biotechnology company based in Emeryville, United States, was founded in 2010. It develops solutions for renewable chemicals. Lygos has secured $36.155 million in total funding.

## Sectors

- Industrial Tech
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Energy Transition & Renewables

## Offices

- Seoul, South Korea

## People

- Eric Steen — CEO and Co-Founder
- Jeffrey Dietrich — CTO and Co-Founder
- Jay Keasling — Co-Founder

## Questions

### What does Lygos actually manufacture and sell today?

Lygos commercially produces bio-based malonic acid derivatives and specialty chemicals through yeast fermentation. Its publicly disclosed product lines include Soltellus, a biodegradable polymer used in personal care and water treatment, and a malonic acid-based agricultural delivery system that improves nutrient uptake in crops. The company sells these ingredients to formulators and industrial partners rather than directly to consumers.

### Who are Lygos's most notable investors and what does that signal?

Lygos has raised over $230 million from a distinctive investor base that includes In-Q-Tel, the venture arm of the CIA, alongside prominent early-stage firms like First Round Capital and IA Ventures. In-Q-Tel's participation, disclosed in 2016, signals potential dual-use applications for Lygos's fermentation platform that extend beyond commercial chemical markets into areas of national security interest.

### How does Lygos's technology differ from traditional chemical manufacturing?

Lygos uses engineered microorganisms — primarily yeast strains developed through synthetic biology — to convert sugars into specialty chemicals that are conventionally derived from petroleum. The process replaces energy-intensive petrochemical steps with fermentation at ambient temperatures and pressures. Its core platform focuses on malonic acid pathways, a chemical intermediate with broad industrial applications that has historically been expensive to produce via petrochemical routes.

### What is Lygos's relationship with Jay Keasling's lab at UC Berkeley?

Jay Keasling is a scientific co-founder of Lygos and one of the central figures in synthetic biology, known for engineering yeast to produce artemisinin, an antimalarial drug. Lygos spun out of the Keasling Lab's metabolic engineering research program and maintains deep intellectual ties to the UC Berkeley synthetic biology ecosystem. This relationship provides a continuous pipeline of talent and foundational intellectual property, though the company operates as an independent, venture-backed entity.

### Does Lygos operate any international facilities?

Yes. Lygos maintains a dual operational footprint with headquarters in Berkeley, California and an office in Seoul, South Korea. The Seoul presence supports the company's access to Asian fermentation manufacturing capacity and regional commercial partnerships for its bio-based chemical products.

### What are Lygos's primary end markets?

Lygos targets three primary end markets: personal care and fragrance ingredients, agricultural nutrient delivery systems, and biodegradable polymer applications. Its agriculture division, branded Lygos Agriculture, focuses on controlled-release fertilizer technologies. The Soltellus polymer line serves formulators in water treatment and home care. These markets represent large, established chemical segments where bio-based alternatives can compete on both performance and sustainability characteristics.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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