Chemical industry professionals recognize string of milestones and potential for high impact SAN DIEGO, July 27, 2011 – Genomatica, a technology leader for the chemical industry, topped the first-ever list of “The 30 Hottest Companies in Renewable Chemicals and Materials.”

Biofuels Digest announced today that Genomatica  was voted the No. 1 hottest company in renewable chemicals and materials, in competitive balloting against both public and private fuels and chemicals leaders. 

“The momentum in the renewable chemicals and materials space inspired us to run the first ‘hottest’ companies competition in Biofuels Digest history,” said Biofuels Digest founder and editor Jim Lane.  “The Biofuels Digest community recognized the slew of meaningful technology, production and commercialization milestones Genomatica has achieved over the past year, and the solid leadership they provide for the industry.” 

This recognition comes fast on the heels of winning the EPA Presidential Green Chemistry  Challenge Award, which recognized Genomatica’s strategy and progress in producing major  industrial chemicals – those made and sold in billions of pounds per year—with better economics and a smaller environmental footprint, using biological organisms and renewable feedstocks.   In 2011 to date, Genomatica has reached demonstration-scale production in partnership with Tate & Lyle, signed a strategic memorandum of understanding for sustainable chemicals in Asia with Mitsubishi Chemical, established a partnership with Gruppo M&G for biomass-to-chemicals in Europe and signed a joint development agreement with Waste Management to convert syngas to high-value chemicals. 

The rankings focus on the production of chemicals, organic acids, plastics, fragrances, food products and other materials. Subscribers ranked credibility as their most important criteria, followed by unique technology and the right strategic partners.  Large-scale projects addressing urgent industry needs were also favored by subscribers.  The list was selected and ranked by subscribers to Biofuels Digest, members of the Biofuels Digest Online Community, and an international panel of industry CEOs, reporters, trade association leaders and prominent scientists.

“The readers and panelists of Biofuels Digest represent the forefront of our industry, so we are gratified by their recognition,” said Genomatica CEO Christophe Schilling.  “The hard work, passion and perseverance of every employee and partner got us to this place, so it’s nice to take a moment and feel good about what we have accomplished so far this year.”

About Genomatica

Genomatica is a leader in sustainable chemicals:  ‘greener’ intermediate and basic chemicals made from renewable feedstocks, rather than oil and gas.  The company aims to transform the chemical industry by making the same high-volume products at the core of the industry but with better economics and a smaller environmental footprint.  Genomatica is a 2011 winner of the sustainable chemicals

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, was recently named one of ‘10 Big Green Ideas’ by Newsweek and has been featured on Forbes.com.   

Genomatica is in demonstration-scale production of its first product, Bio-BDO, through a strategic partnership with Tate & Lyle.  BDO is an intermediate chemical that is an important ingredient in the production of spandex, automotive plastics, running shoes and more.  The company is planning significant commercial production in late 2012, with world-scale plants in the U.S., Europe and Asia starting in 2014.

Genomatica believes its integrated bio-process engineering platform and extensive intellectual property will allow it to rapidly develop organisms and processes to produce dozens of the highest-volume intermediate and basic chemicals from renewable feedstocks, like sugars, and later, from biomass and syngas. 

Genomatica has announced agreements with Tate & Lyle, Mitsubishi Chemical, Gruppo M&G and Waste Management. 

About Biofuels Digest

Each weekday, 25,000 subscribers receive the Biofuels Digest newsletter, covering producer news, research, policy, policymakers, conferences, fleets and financial news. The Daily Biofuels News Digest is the most widely read biofuels daily in the world (sources: Alexa, Quantcast).