The Mills Fabrica and Bolt Threads Release Synbio Playbook for Techstyle Startups:

A Complete Guide for Founders

The report includes crucial tips for those looking to start synbio businesses, an industry that has received billions in funding throughout this year alone.

11 Nov. 2020 – As the platform for nurturing global techstyle innovations, The Mills Fabrica is partnering with global leading biomaterials innovator, Bolt Threads to launch a new report titled “Synbio Playbook for Techstyle Startups – A Complete Guide for Founders”. Synthetic Biology (“Synbio”), which first entered the market a few years ago and continues to receive substantial interest from brands and corporations, is an area of science that involves the design and construction of biological components/ systems that do not already exist in the natural world. This interdisciplinary field combines many disciplines, from engineering to biology, to create biomanufacturing methods that are better, cheaper, more efficient and more sustainable.

Unhampered by the coronavirus pandemic, synbio startups raised over $3 billion in funding in the first half of 2020 alone.

“We are thrilled to work with Bolt Threads to help support and build out a global community of synbio innovators and partners. With the growth of more synbio startups, the industry has started to see leading innovators merge in the fashion/ food sectors. Through the launch of this report, we hope to create a guide that highlights the best practices and tips for early-stage founders, to provide startups with the necessary knowledge and resources to transform and scale their technologies for commercialization and industry impact,” said Alexander Chan, Co-Director of The Mills Fabrica.

The report is a guidebook for synbio innovators looking to start and grow a business, offering key information in five focus areas:

• Strategy and position setting
• Scaling up technology
• Go-to-market
• Fundraising and exit trajectory
• Engaging with the wider synbio ecosystem

Founders will also find the guide especially resourceful, as it outlines critical pathways to scale a synbio business, including adopting the right manufacturing, developing effective product launch strategies and understanding the wider set of supporting ecosystem partners. Investors interested in entering the synbio space will learn the latest innovation trends and investment insights, as well as exit opportunities within the field.

The report synthesizes learnings and findings from The Mills Fabrica’s engagement with multiple food / fashion tech startups and portfolio companies as well as Bolt Threads’ expertise and experience in scaling up synbio technologies to go-to market. The report also highlights learnings from case studies of successful innovators such as Impossible Foods, Perfect Day and Renewcell, sharing industry-related challenges and tips.

“As we grew Bolt Threads, we had the opportunity to learn from those who came before us, and we also learned quite a few lessons of our own along the way which we are honored to pay forward to the next generation,” said David Breslauer, Bolt Threads Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder. “The Mills Fabrica has been at the forefront of supporting the young and growing SynBio-Fashion industry, and we were happy to help them put together this playbook for all the new companies that will continue to revolutionize the field.”

If you are interested to learn more, download the full report here.

For media enquires, please contact:

The Mills Fabrica

jenna.chow@themills.com.hk
tramy.tso@themills.com.hk

Bolt Threads

press@boltthreads.com

About The Mills Fabrica

The Mills Fabrica is an open platform for technology and lifestyle (“Techstyle”) innovations in industries like apparel/ textiles and ag/ food. The Mills Fabrica consisting of an incubator, VC fund and an innovation space/ lab/ store. Fabrica’s mission is to invest in and support companies who will accelerate the transition into a more sustainable future through innovation and to become a “go-to” platform for Techstyle innovation. For additional information, please visit https://www.themillsfabrica.com.

About Bolt Threads

Bolt Threads is on a mission to create way better materials for a way better world, developing sustainable solutions for the apparel and beauty industries. With nature as inspiration, Bolt Threads invents and scales credible materials that put us on a path towards a more sustainable future. Bolt Threads is based in Emeryville, California and was a Fast Company Most Innovative company in 2019 and 2018. For additional information, please visit www.boltthreads.com.

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Blog: Synbio Playbook for Techstyle Startups – A Complete Guide for Founders