Pow.Bio has announced that it is teaming up with Bühler Group to bring an integrated continuous precision fermentation platform to market. The collaboration will work to advance industrial biomanufacturing by accelerating process development, reducing unit production costs, and improving operation performance.
Traditional fermentation processes rely on batch or fed-batch processes, which require the tank to be emptied and cleaned between runs. However, the new partnership combines advanced model-driven control software with Pow.Bio’s proprietary continuous fermentation technology and Bühler’s engineering, delivery, installation, and commissioning services to create an alternative process.
The platform enables customers to establish precision fermentation capacity faster, with predictable performance, lower unit costs, and a direct path to scale. This could help companies commercialize fermentation-derived products that are currently produced in fed-batch systems but are constrained by cost, scalability, or inconsistent output.
“Precision fermentation has the potential to impact the food, feed, and specialty ingredients industries,” said Thierry Duvanel, Bühler’s North American Director of Innovation. “Companies are already using it to produce dairy, meat, and egg substitutes, alternative oils and fats, and even novel pet food – and we are only at the beginning of what this technology can unlock. By joining forces with Pow.Bio, we take a clear step toward reducing unit production costs in biomanufacturing, combining complementary expertise to accelerate innovation and deliver a fully integrated system backed by experience, service, and reliability.”
“A new benchmark for biomanufacturing”
Pow.Bio and Bühler’s solution could provide a more efficient method of producing ingredients such as enzymes, organic acids, functional proteins, specialty lipids, and bioactive compounds. The companies are now ready to begin onboarding customers, and they note that the process could offer an established, low-risk pathway from lab to pilot and full industrial scale.
In March, Pow.Bio revealed that it had opened a new 25,000 square foot facility in Alameda, California, equipped with AI-enabled continuous fermentation capabilities. Last month, the company announced the scale-up of its platform to 3,000 liters in partnership with Bühler Group and industrialization accelerator ATV Technologies. The scale-up took place at ATV’s facility in Compiègne, France, and successfully produced three times more high-quality dairy protein than its equivalent fed batch process.
“Our collaboration with Bühler sets a new benchmark for biomanufacturing: not just faster, but smarter and more robust,” said Shannon Hall, CEO and co-founder of Pow.Bio. “Clients can now capitalize on proven technology and global deployment expertise to unlock commercial-scale production with lower risk and unprecedented efficiency. This partnership solidifies Pow.Bio’s position at the forefront of industrial biotechnology, enabling us to deliver enduring value for our clients and the sector as a whole.”
