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§ Private Profile · 6825 Flanders Dr San Diego, CA 92121 United States
Synthetic biology & precision fermentation biotechnology for engineering microorganisms, bio-based ingredients & specialty chemicals.
Based in San Diego, California, Cellibre is a biotechnology enterprise that engineers microorganisms using synthetic biology and precision fermentation to manufacture bio-based ingredients and specialty chemicals. The company utilizes an organism-agnostic platform to convert cells into scalable production factories for flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals that are traditionally sourced from plants or petrochemical processes. This manufacturing approach enables faster, lower-cost commercial production without disrupting natural agricultural ecosystems. Operating with a total workforce of 25 employees, the business generates revenue through strategic equity investments, commercial partnerships, and the co-development of proprietary biotech manufacturing processes. Cellibre has secured strategic capital and formed collaborative development partnerships with several recognizable industry entities, including Symrise, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, and Telesis Bio. The biotechnology company was officially founded in 2019, and its original founders remain undisclosed.
Cellibre has raised $12.0M across 1 funding round.
Cellibre has raised $12.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Cellibre has raised $12.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Cellibre's investors include Merida Capital Partners, B Capital Group, Mechanism Capital, New Form Capital, Prithvi Ventures, Scott Gordon, Delta Emerald Ventures, Entourage Effect Capital, Flatiron Venture Partners, L2 Ventures.
Cellibre has raised $12.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $12.0M Series A in October 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2021 | $12M Series A | Merida Capital Partners | B Capital Group, Mechanism Capital, NEW Form Capital, Prithvi Ventures, Scott Gordon, Delta Emerald Ventures, Entourage Effect Capital, Flatiron Venture Partners, L2 Ventures | Announced |
Cellibre is a San Diego-based biotechnology company founded in 2019 that develops sustainable biomanufacturing technologies using precision fermentation and strain engineering to produce high-value products like ingredients, medicines, and energy sources.[1][4][5] It serves industries including food, beverages, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture by engineering microorganisms in an organism-agnostic approach to create environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional manufacturing, reducing reliance on natural ecosystems and mitigating supply chain vulnerabilities.[1][2][4] The company has gained early momentum through partnerships like Symrise's strategic equity investment for fermentation-derived taste solutions and cosmetic actives, a win in the Ajinomoto NGT3 competition, and collaborations with Telesis Bio to accelerate enzyme engineering, achieving enzymes with 10,000x higher activity.[1][2][3]
Cellibre was founded in 2019 in San Diego, California, by a team of experts in strain engineering, protein engineering, biochemistry, and fermentation, led by CEO Ben Chiarelli and CSO Nicky Caiazza.[1][5] The idea emerged from a vision since 2017 that "biology is the future of manufacturing," aiming to reprogram cells as microscopic factories to produce products faster, cheaper, and with higher quality by shifting from field-based agriculture to fermentation tanks.[2][4][5] Early traction included winning third place and $5,000 in the Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition NGT3 competition for precision fermentation innovations, alongside pivotal partnerships like Symrise's investment to scale cultured natural products and Telesis Bio's DNA synthesis tools that shortened their design-build-test cycles for enzyme optimization.[1][2][3]
Cellibre rides the wave of sustainable biomanufacturing, leveraging precision fermentation to replace legacy agriculture and chemical processes amid climate pressures and supply chain instability.[2][4] Timing is ideal as consumer demand for eco-friendly ingredients surges in food, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals, while market forces like regulatory pushes for sustainability and biotech advancements in AI-driven protein design favor scalable platforms.[1][2][3] By partnering with giants like Symrise and tool providers like Telesis Bio, Cellibre influences the ecosystem, accelerating industry shifts to fermentation for resilient, planet-first production and unlocking natural products across sectors.[2][3][5]
Cellibre is poised to scale its platform through Symrise collaboration, targeting high-value ingredients in taste, cosmetics, and beyond, with potential for broader pharmaceutical and industrial applications.[2] Trends like AI-optimized enzyme discovery and biofoundry automation will propel faster iteration, while global sustainability mandates amplify demand.[3][4] Its influence may grow by pioneering "biology as manufacturing," fostering a symbiotic industrial revolution that ties back to its founding mission of programming nature for a healthier planet.[2][5]