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§ Private Profile · 4575 Weaver Parkway, Warrenville, Illinois 60555, United States
Biofuel technology startup producing low-cost cellulosic ethanol from diverse feedstocks via syngas fermentation for biofuels.
Coskata has raised $334.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at Coskata.
Coskata was founded in 2006 by Todd Kimmel (Co-Founder and President).
Coskata has raised $334.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Founded in 2006 by Todd Kimmel and Rathin Datta, Warrenville, Illinois-based Coskata was a renewable energy startup that developed a proprietary biological and thermochemical process to produce cellulosic ethanol from diverse feedstocks like woodchips and plant waste. The enterprise raised $154.2 million from prominent investors including Khosla Ventures and Advanced Technology Ventures to commercialize its low-cost biofuel technology, which aimed to produce ethanol at under one dollar per gallon. Coskata established strategic partnerships with major corporate entities, notably collaborating with General Motors for vehicle testing and US Sugar Corporation for a cane-waste facility. Before ultimately ceasing operations in 2015, the company scaled its operations to support between 51 and 200 employees and generated approximately $16.9 million in revenue. Following its closure, the startup's syngas fermentation technology and bioreactor innovations subsequently re-emerged under the name Synata Bio.
Coskata was founded in 2006 by Todd Kimmel (Co-Founder and President).
Coskata has raised $334.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Coskata's investors include U.S. Department of Agriculture, G20 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Osage University Partners.
Coskata has raised $334.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $250.0M Debt in January 2011.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 2011 | $250M Debt Financing | U.S. Department OF Agriculture | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2010 | $24M Series D | — | G20 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Osage University Partners | Announced |
| Nov 1, 2008 | $40M Series C | — | G20 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Osage University Partners | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2008 | $20M Series B | — | G20 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Osage University Partners | Announced |
Key people at Coskata.
Coskata is a biology-based renewable energy company that develops and commercializes technology for producing alternative fuels like ethanol and biochemicals from diverse feedstocks such as biomass, agricultural waste, energy crops, and construction waste.[1][2][4][5][6] It serves customers in the renewable energy sector by addressing the need for sustainable, low-emission fuels and chemicals that offer economic, environmental, and national security benefits through proprietary microorganisms and bioreactor designs.[1][2][5] The company demonstrated growth momentum with two years of successful operation at its semi-commercial facility and recognition as a top innovative company by MIT in partnership with GM.[4][5]
Coskata, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 in Warrenville, Illinois, by serial entrepreneur Andrew Perlman through his GreatPoint Ventures group.[3] Key early leaders included executives with deep expertise in commercialization: Dick, Executive Vice President of Technology, brought 28 years from Dow Chemical in scaling products like the EPA Green Chemistry Award-winning spinosad; other figures had backgrounds in energy infrastructure at NiSource and entrepreneurship in microelectronics (Coatue, sold to AMD) and communications (Cignal).[2] The idea emerged from advancing biology-based processes to convert waste materials into liquid fuels, gaining early traction through partnerships like GM and operational milestones at its semi-commercial plant.[4][5]
Coskata rode the mid-2000s wave of advanced biofuels and cellulosic ethanol trends, capitalizing on rising demand for alternatives to fossil fuels amid energy security concerns and early climate policies.[2][5] Timing aligned with biomass innovation pushes, as seen in GM partnerships and MIT accolades, when governments incentivized waste-to-fuel tech to cut emissions and leverage abundant non-food feedstocks.[4][5][6] Market forces like volatile oil prices and waste management needs favored its flexible process, influencing the ecosystem by validating biology-based conversion and paving the way for biochemicals in renewable energy.[1][2]
Coskata's path forward hinges on fully commercializing its platform amid evolving sustainable fuels markets, potentially through expanded licensing or partnerships in SAF and renewable diesel.[1][4][6] Trends like biomass utilization and low-carbon mandates will shape it, especially with global pushes for net-zero, though competition from electrification and newer biotech could challenge legacy players. Its influence may evolve via tech integration into larger energy portfolios, sustaining impact if it adapts to post-2020s scalability demands—echoing its mission to deliver competitive, green alternatives from day one.[1][2]
