In this episode, John Cumbers speaks with Harshal Chokhawala, co-founder and CEO of ZymoChem, about how the company is reengineering the foundations of materials science using microbial fermentation. Harshal discusses his scientific journey from organic chemistry to building a carbon-conserving biotech platform capable of producing bio-based adipic acid, a key component in nylon 66. Their recent partnership with lululemon aims to bring sustainable, high-performance textiles to market.

The conversation also touches on ZymoChem’s second major innovation: a biodegradable superabsorbent polymer for use in diapers—a response to the overwhelming waste generated by the hygiene industry. Harshal explains their BAYSE platform, the technology powering these innovations, and how they’re scaling up production to meet market demand.

The discussion closes with thoughts on scaling biomanufacturing, policy support, and the broader bioeconomy opportunity in the U.S.

In this episode of the SynBioBeta Podcast, John Cumbers sits down with Shannon Hall, co-founder and CEO of Pow.bio, to talk about how her team is flipping traditional fermentation on its head. Pow.bio’s AI-enabled, continuous fermentation platform decouples cell growth from production—enabling higher yields, faster scale-up, and dramatically lower costs. Shannon shares what led her to leave a successful career at Bio-Rad, why manufacturing is the often-overlooked bottleneck in synthetic biology, and how her company is bringing modern, data-rich, software-driven biomanufacturing to life. From food proteins and fine chemicals to probiotics and enzymes, this episode explores the promise of continuous systems, digital twins, and the smart bioreactors of tomorrow.

A lot is happening in the bioeconomy, from AI to scale-up innovation to new government policies. For this episode, host Fiona Mischel sat down with renowned bioeconomy leader Alexander Titus to help sort out the hype from reality and see opportunities where most might see pitfalls.

In this episode of The Inside Track, Jeff Buguliskis, Director of Content at SynbioBeta, focuses on the intersection of AI & Digital Biology and Biomanufacturing Scale-Up. Joined by esteemed guests Shelby Newsad, an investor at Compound with a broad background in biology and healthcare, and Shannon Hall, CEO and Co-founder of Pow.bio, a pioneering Berkeley-based startup in precision fermentation, the conversation navigates through the potent fusion of AI and biotech. With Shelby's insights on AI's pivotal role and Shannon's firsthand experiences in leveraging AI for biomanufacturing, the dialogue scrutinizes the promises and perils of these technologies. From ethical dilemmas to regulatory hurdles, the podcast explores the multifaceted landscape of synthetic biology. We’ll also hear what Shannon and Shelby are most excited about for the upcoming SynBioBeta 2024 conference. Join us as we unravel the future of biotech innovation.

Tune in to the latest episode of SynBioBeta's The Inside Track, where host Fiona Mischel joins industry leader and investor Yves Falanga for a whirlwind tour of human health tools and tech. What are the latest and most remarkable technologies that are building the future of medicine? Where are gaps in the tech stack—i.e., opportunities to create novel innovations—and what can we expect as therapeutics become more precise? Listen now and explore the next generation of synbio for human health.