Zymergen

Zymergen is a technology company.

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Updated: Feb 17, 2026 ·

Recent News & Mentions

Nov 1, 2018FundingZymergen - Series C Oct 1, 2016FundingZymergen - Series B Jun 1, 2015FundingZymergen - Series A Dec 1, 2013FundingZymergen - Seed

Financial History

Zymergen has raised $174.1M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $100K Series C in November 2018.

Total Raised

$174.1M

Valuation

N/A

Funding Rounds Raised

Date	Round	Other Investors
Nov 1, 2018	$100K Series C	Band of Angels, Felicis Ventures, ThirdLove, TSVC Capital, Bill Gates, Farzad Nazem, Louis Beryl, Todd Corenson
Oct 1, 2016	$130.0M Series B	DAG Ventures, General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital
Jun 1, 2015	$42.0M Series A	Canaan Partners, Genoa Ventures, Mission BioCapital, NewView Capital
Dec 1, 2013	$2.0M Seed	Amplify Partners, Angelic Ventures, BoxGroup, Canaan Partners, ClimacticVC, Electric Capital, ENIAC Ventures, Genoa Ventures, Gradient Ventures, Heavybit, Humba Ventures, Ignition Partners, KRM Interests LLC, Lowercarbon Capital, Matrix, Mission BioCapital, NewView Capital, North Bridge, SciFi VC, Susa Ventures, True Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Y Combinator, Ben Davenport, Biz Stone, Charlie Cheever

Financial History

Zymergen has raised $174.1M across 4 funding rounds.

Total Raised

$174.1M

Valuation

N/A

Deep Dive

High-Level Overview

Zymergen is a technology company specializing in biofacturing, a platform that engineers microbes using robotics, machine learning, and high-throughput automation to produce novel biomolecules for breakthrough materials and chemicals[1][2][3][4]. It builds products like films for electronics (e.g., rollable tablets), UV protection coatings, and ingredients for consumer care and agriculture, serving industries such as electronics, personal care, and agribusiness by solving the high cost and slow timelines of traditional chemistry—aiming to launch products in half the time and at 1/10th the cost[1][6]. The company targeted growth through both proprietary products and R&D services for clients, leveraging a $150 billion global fermentation market, with early funding exceeding $44 million and an eventual IPO[4][5][6].

Origin Story

Founded around 2013-2014 in the Bay Area, California, Zymergen emerged from the insight that biotech progress was bottlenecked by inefficient data and computation rather than scientific discovery[4][6]. CEO Josh Hoffman led the charge, assembling a team including automation engineer Will Serber, PhD, to pioneer custom software and robotics for DNA assembly and microbe manipulation at scale—moving beyond lab testing into manufacturing[3][4]. Early traction came via investments from firms like DCVC (seed to IPO), SoftBank Vision Fund, ICONIQ Capital, and Obvious Ventures, which backed its "Google of strain optimization" potential through Darwinian selection, machine learning, and automation; a pivotal 2015 $44 million round fueled robot acquisitions for mass-producing materials from microbes[4][5][6].

Core Differentiators

Integrated Biofacturing Platform: Combines molecular biology, chemistry, materials science, robotic automation, hyper-scale data, and machine learning to design, produce, and scale novel biomolecules—unique in end-to-end fusion that traditional chemistry can't match[1][5].
High-Throughput Automation: Uses tools like QPix colony pickers and proprietary robotics/software to test thousands of microbial strains rapidly (10x faster than conventional labs), automating DNA insertion, colony picking, and workflows for proteins, biofuels, and enzymes[2][3][4].
Data-Driven Approach: Treats microbial engineering as a computational problem with machine learning for experiment design, yielding faster, cheaper production of chemicals, materials, and flavors without FDA-regulated therapeutics[2][6].
Cost and Speed Edge: Promises half the launch time and 1/10th the cost of chemical companies, enabling broad applications from electronics films to fragrances[1][6].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Zymergen rode the deep tech wave at the intersection of biotech, AI, and automation, accelerating the "next industrial revolution" by industrializing microbial engineering for sustainable materials amid rising demand for bio-based alternatives to petrochemicals[3][5]. Timing aligned with 2010s advances in machine learning and lab robotics, addressing trillion-dollar challenges in electronics, agriculture, and consumer goods while managing capitalism's environmental consequences through greener manufacturing[5]. It influenced the ecosystem by proving scalable "AI-native" biotech models, inspiring investors like DCVC and attracting talent to high-throughput "wet labs," though its path highlighted risks in capital-intensive fermentation markets[4][6].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-IPO challenges led to Ginkgo Bioworks acquiring Zymergen, potentially shedding non-core drug discovery to refocus on industrial biofacturing strengths[7]. Trends like AI-optimized synthetic biology and sustainable materials will shape its legacy under Ginkgo, amplifying platform scale for electronics and ag markets. Its influence may evolve from standalone innovator to integrated powerhouse, tying back to its core promise: harnessing microbes via tech to redefine manufacturing efficiency and sustainability[1][5][7].

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding has Zymergen raised?

Zymergen has raised $174.1M in total across 4 funding rounds.

Who are Zymergen's investors?

Zymergen's investors include Band of Angels, Felicis Ventures, ThirdLove, TSVC Capital, Bill Gates, Farzad Nazem, Louis Beryl, Todd Corenson, DAG Ventures, General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital.