Ferment is a company creation studio building companies native to biotech platforms. We partner with the world's most advanced platforms for cell programming to build the next wave of synthetic biology product companies
Ferment brings together founders, corporate strategic partners, biotech platforms, and investors to build first-ever companies. Incredible capabilities are now available to anyone who wants to build with biology.
Active beauty and personal care arcaea.com
“Beauty through Biology”
What We Saw
Beauty brands struggled to meet new rising consumer values without sacrificing product performance. There was limited innovation in the ingredients they used, and a stark tradeoff between performance and sustainable positioning. Biotechnology was underutilized across the industry, but can help deliver better products to consumers.
What We Built
Arcaea is a company that approaches beauty through a biology first lens. Arcaea brings biotech based ingredients, new product formats, and unique stories to brands and consumers, all rooted in our skin’s relationship to biology. We partnered with entrepreneur and CEO, Jasmina Aganovic, as well as iconic bands (Chanel), innovative category disruptors (Olaplex) and sophisticated suppliers (Givaudan) to fund and build the company.
Probiotics for Human Nutrition
verbbiotics.com
What We Saw
Consumer nutrition brands were lagging in translating powerful advances in microbiome science into meaningful consumer products. People are not getting what they can from their food and, for a variety of reasons, we absorb a fraction of the available nutrients in our diet.
What we Built
We built a consumer probiotics company to leapfrog incumbents and called it Verb Biotics. Verb drives toward deep understanding around the mechanism of action of its probiotics, and using Ginkgo’s high throughput selection and genetic engineering tools, designs a new wave of probiotics with truly meaningful feel the effect nutritional benefits. Verb is led by CEO Todd Beckman.
Plant Bioactives for Human Nutrition
What We Saw
The rise of science backed nutrition for health and wellness, as an alternative to prescription medicines, is a global megatrend. For millennia, we’ve turned to plants and herbs for health and healing, but we’re only beginning to map the universe of these bioactive molecules and micronutrients. However, pure forms of bioactives are hard to access because they’re trapped inside of producer organisms—plants, fungi, and animal cells—and there’s no easy way to isolate them.
What We Built
We built Ayana Bio to integrate a discovery, synthetic biology, and process chemistry to uncover new bioactives, and reproduce existing ones, using sustainable production technology. Ayana can find, create, and scale complex molecules and molecular blends that have otherwise been locked away in plant, fungi, and animal cells. Ayana helps meet the global demand for sustainable, standardized health and wellness products.
Industrial Waste Remediation
allonnia.com
“Waste is a failure of imagination.”
What We Saw
The conversation around industrial waste streams—from food, mining, electronics, energy, and other industrials—had shifted from ‘how do we mitigate the cost of waste disposal’ to ‘how can we mine and upcycle our waste streams for value?” Chemical and mechanical remediation systems had seemingly plateaued, but biology has great abilities for treating emerging contaminant issues at scale and recovering value from waste.
What We Built
Allonnia is a company focused on using biotechnology for complex waste remediation. We partnered with strategic investors with deep knowledge of engineered remediation systems like Battelle Memorial Institute, and corporate partners with meaningful waste challenges like Canadian oil and gas giant, Suncor. Allonnia is leading the field in biological solutions for waste remediation and is led by CEO, Nicole Richards, formerly of Dupont.
Microbiome science for animal health
What We Saw
Livestock producers and veterinarians were calling for new products to address antibiotic resistance and improve livestock sustainability. Microbiome science can meet these needs, and is rapidly creating breakthroughs in animal health based on the microbial communities in animals and the surrounding environment. Ginkgo’s unique screening and strain engineering capabilities could greatly accelerate a company working on microbiome focused products for animal health.
What We Built
In partnership with Elanco and a team of experts, we developed BiomEdit, a company creating probiotics and microbial medicines for animal health. BiomEdit focuses on the greatest innovation needs in animal health, including medicated feed ingredients, nutritional health, and therapeutics for livestock and pets. The company leverages Ginkgo's cell programming platform to improve the design of probiotics and engineered microbial medicines. BiomEdit is led by CEO, Aaron Schacht, former EVP of Innovation at Elanco.
Active beauty and personal care arcaea.com
“Beauty through Biology”
What We Saw
Beauty brands struggled to meet new rising consumer values without sacrificing product performance. There was limited innovation in the ingredients they used, and a stark tradeoff between performance and sustainable positioning. Biotechnology was underutilized across the industry, but can help deliver better products to consumers.
What We Built
Arcaea is a company that approaches beauty through a biology first lens. Arcaea brings biotech based ingredients, new product formats, and unique stories to brands and consumers, all rooted in our skin’s relationship to biology. We partnered with entrepreneur and CEO, Jasmina Aganovic, as well as iconic bands (Chanel), innovative category disruptors (Olaplex) and sophisticated suppliers (Givaudan) to fund and build the company.
Probiotics for Human Nutrition
verbbiotics.com
What We Saw
Consumer nutrition brands were lagging in translating powerful advances in microbiome science into meaningful consumer products. People are not getting what they can from their food and, for a variety of reasons, we absorb a fraction of the available nutrients in our diet.
What we Built
We built a consumer probiotics company to leapfrog incumbents and called it Verb Biotics. Verb drives toward deep understanding around the mechanism of action of its probiotics, and using Ginkgo’s high throughput selection and genetic engineering tools, designs a new wave of probiotics with truly meaningful feel the effect nutritional benefits. Verb is led by CEO Todd Beckman.
Plant Bioactives for Human Nutrition
What We Saw
The rise of science backed nutrition for health and wellness, as an alternative to prescription medicines, is a global megatrend. For millennia, we’ve turned to plants and herbs for health and healing, but we’re only beginning to map the universe of these bioactive molecules and micronutrients. However, pure forms of bioactives are hard to access because they’re trapped inside of producer organisms—plants, fungi, and animal cells—and there’s no easy way to isolate them.
What We Built
We built Ayana Bio to integrate discovery, synthetic biology, and process chemistry to uncover new bioactives, and reproduce existing ones, using sustainable production technology. Ayana can find, create, and scale complex molecules and molecular blends that have otherwise been locked away in plant, fungi, and animal cells. Ayana helps meet the global demand for sustainable, standardized health and wellness products.
Industrial Waste Remediation
allonnia.com
“Waste is a failure of imagination.”
What We Saw
The conversation around industrial waste streams—from food, mining, electronics, energy, and other industrials—had shifted from ‘how do we mitigate the cost of waste disposal’ to ‘how can we mine and upcycle our waste streams for value?” Chemical and mechanical remediation systems had seemingly plateaued, but biology has great abilities for treating emerging contaminant issues at scale and recovering value from waste.
What We Built
Allonnia is a company focused on using biotechnology for complex waste remediation. We partnered with strategic investors with deep knowledge of engineered remediation systems like Battelle Memorial Institute, and corporate partners with meaningful waste challenges like Canadian oil and gas giant, Suncor. Allonnia is leading the field in biological solutions for waste remediation and is led by CEO, Nicole Richards, formerly of Dupont.
Microbiome science for animal health
What We Saw
Livestock producers and veterinarians were calling for new products to address antibiotic resistance and improve livestock sustainability. Microbiome science can meet these needs, and is rapidly creating breakthroughs in animal health based on the microbial communities in animals and the surrounding environment. Ginkgo’s unique screening and strain engineering capabilities could greatly accelerate a company working on microbiome focused products for animal health.
What We Built
In partnership with Elanco and a team of experts, we developed BiomEdit, a company creating probiotics and microbial medicines for animal health. BiomEdit focuses on the greatest innovation needs in animal health, including medicated feed ingredients, nutritional health, and therapeutics for livestock and pets. The company leverages Ginkgo's cell programming platform to improve the design of probiotics and engineered microbial medicines. BiomEdit is led by CEO, Aaron Schacht, former EVP of Innovation at Elanco.
Microbiome science for animal health
What We Saw
Livestock producers and veterinarians were calling for new products to address antibiotic resistance and improve livestock sustainability. Microbiome science can meet these needs, and is rapidly creating breakthroughs in animal health based on the microbial communities in animals and the surrounding environment. Ginkgo’s unique screening and strain engineering capabilities could greatly accelerate a company working on microbiome focused products for animal health.
What we Built
In partnership with Elanco and a team of experts, we developed BiomEdit, a company creating probiotics and microbial medicines for animal health. BiomEdit focuses on the greatest innovation needs in animal health, including medicated feed ingredients, nutritional health, and therapeutics for livestock and pets. The company leverages Ginkgo's cell programming platform to improve the design of probiotics and engineered microbial medicines. BiomEdit is led by CEO, Aaron Schacht, former EVP of Innovation at Elanco.
Probiotics for Human Nutrition
verbbiotics.com
What We Saw
Consumer nutrition brands were lagging in translating powerful advances in microbiome science into meaningful consumer products. People are not getting what they can from their food and, for a variety of reasons, we absorb a fraction of the available nutrients in our diet.
What we Built
We built a consumer probiotics company to leapfrog incumbents and called it Verb Biotics. Verb drives toward deep understanding around the mechanism of action of its probiotics, and using Ginkgo’s high throughput selection and genetic engineering tools, designs a new wave of probiotics with truly meaningful feel the effect nutritional benefits. Verb is led by CEO Todd Beckman.
Plant Bioactives for Human Nutrition
What We Saw
The rise of science backed nutrition for health and wellness, as an alternative to prescription medicines, is a global megatrend. For millennia, we’ve turned to plants and herbs for health and healing, but we’re only beginning to map the universe of these bioactive molecules and micronutrients. However, pure forms of bioactives are hard to access because they’re trapped inside of producer organisms—plants, fungi, and animal cells—and there’s no easy way to isolate them.
What we Built
We built Ayana Bio to integrate a discovery, synthetic biology, and process chemistry to uncover new bioactives, and reproduce existing ones, using sustainable production technology. Ayana can find, create, and scale complex molecules and molecular blends that have otherwise been locked away in plant, fungi, and animal cells. Ayana helps meet the global demand for sustainable, standardized health and wellness products.
Industrial Waste Remediation allonnia.com
“Waste is a failure of imagination.”
What We Saw
The conversation around industrial waste streams—from food, mining, electronics, energy, and other industrials—had shifted from ‘how do we mitigate the cost of waste disposal’ to ‘how can we mine and upcycle our waste streams for value?” Chemical and mechanical remediation systems had seemingly plateaued, but biology has great abilities for treating emerging contaminant issues at scale and recovering value from waste.
What we Built
Allonnia is a company focused on using biotechnology for complex waste remediation. We partnered with strategic investors with deep knowledge of engineered remediation systems like Battelle Memorial Institute, and corporate partners with meaningful waste challenges like Canadian oil and gas giant, Suncor. Allonnia is leading the field in biological solutions for waste remediation and is led by CEO, Nicole Richards, formerly of Dupont.
Active beauty and personal care arcaea.com
“Beauty through Biology”
What We Saw
Beauty brands struggled to meet new rising consumer values without sacrificing product performance. There was limited innovation in the ingredients they used, and a stark tradeoff between performance and sustainable positioning. Biotechnology was underutilized across the industry, but can help deliver better products to consumers.
What we Built
Arcaea is a company that approaches beauty through a biology first lens. Arcaea brings biotech based ingredients, new product formats, and unique stories to brands and consumers, all rooted in our skin’s relationship to biology. We partnered with entrepreneur and CEO, Jasmina Aganovic, as well as iconic bands (Chanel), innovative category disruptors (Olaplex) and sophisticated suppliers (Givaudan) to fund and build the company.
Tom Knight, Ginkgo Bioworks
Jason Kakoyiannis founded Ferment Co in 2021 as the vehicle to create the next wave of synthetic biology product companies. Specifically, these are companies born platform native on top of Foundries like the ones at Ginkgo Bioworks. In the age of “bio Foundries,” biotech company creation looks different because Founders can take immediate advantage of ready hardware infrastructure, pre-packed cell development kits, debugged biological code assets, and other economies of scale.
Jason joined forces with Ginkgo Bioworks in 2015 as part of the commercial team. From 2018 – 2021, he was Head of Ventures, where he helped found strategic spinoff companies like Motif Foodworks (food ingredients), Allonnia (waste remediation), Arcaea (personal care and beauty actives), Verb Biotics (probiotics for consumer nutrition), and Ayana Bio (plant bioactives for complementary medicine).
Prior to joining forces with Ginkgo, Jason held strategic growth roles at Givaudan developing global products and brands with Unilever, Natura, Estée Lauder, and others. He began his career as an M&A attorney at Shearman & Sterling in public company transactions and takeover defense. Jason received his BA from Brown University, MA from Yale, and JD from USC.
Brian believes that biotechnology is a critical enabler in developing solutions to some of the grand challenges we face on our path towards a more sustainable future. He has focused his entire career on understanding different parts of the value chain in industrial, food, and agricultural applications of biotechnology.
Prior to joining Ferment, Brian was the President of North America for Novozymes where he oversaw a broad range of businesses. Previous to his work at Novozymes, Brian worked in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial roles at Cargill and DSM. From 2016-2017, Brian worked at Ginkgo Bioworks where he was General Manager of the Enzymes business.
Brian has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota.
From electronics to waste remediation, aquaculture to infant nutrition, flavor creation to cannabinoids, innovators are shifting to biology.
The cell is the new microchip and the new factory. It contains both the instructions and the machinery for producing an endless number of useful compounds and materials.
The DNA inside of every living cell is a form of programmable code. This code is the universe’s most efficient way to organize information, energy, and matter into physical fabrication systems.
The tools to work with biology in a predictive way are rapidly evolving, and Ginkgo’s platform serves as the interface layer to make these capabilities available to anyone who wants to build with biology.
Tom Knight, Ginkgo Bioworks
Managing Partner
Partner
Managing Partner
Jason Kakoyiannis founded Ferment.Co in 2021 as the vehicle to create the next wave of synthetic biology product companies. Specifically, these are companies born platform native on top of Foundries like the ones at Ginkgo Bioworks. In the age of “bio Foundries,” biotech company creation looks different because Founders can take immediate advantage of ready hardware infrastructure, pre-packed cell development kits, debugged biological code assets, and other economies of scale.
Jason joined forces with Ginkgo Bioworks in 2015 as part of the commercial team. From 2018 – 2021 he was Head of Ventures, where he helped found strategic spinoff companies like Motif Foodworks (food ingredients), Allonnia (waste remediation), Arcaea (personal care and beauty actives), Verb Biotics (probiotics for consumer nutrition), and Ayana Bio (plant bioactives for complementary medicine).
Prior to joining forces with Ginkgo, Jason held strategic growth roles at Givaudan developing global products and brands with Unilever, Natura, Estée Lauder, and others. He began his career as an M&A attorney at Shearman & Sterling in public company transactions and takeover defense. Jason received his BA from Brown University, MA from Yale, and JD from USC.
Partner
Brian believes that biotechnology is a critical enabler in developing solutions to some of the grand challenges we face on our path towards a more sustainable future. He has focused his entire career on understanding different parts of the value chain in industrial, food, and agricultural applications of biotechnology.
Prior to joining Ferment, Brian was the President of North America for Novozymes where he oversaw a broad range of businesses. Previous to his work at Novozymes, Brian worked in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial roles at Cargill and DSM. From 2016-2017, Brian worked at Ginkgo Bioworks where he was General Manager of the Enzymes business.
Brian has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota.
Partner
Brian believes that biotechnology is a critical enabler in developing solutions to some of the grand challenges we face on our path towards a more sustainable future. He has focused his entire career on understanding different parts of the value chain in industrial, food, and agricultural applications of biotechnology.
Prior to joining Ferment, Brian was the President of North America for Novozymes where he oversaw a broad range of businesses. Previous to his work at Novozymes, Brian worked in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial roles at Cargill and DSM. From 2016-2017, Brian worked at Ginkgo Bioworks where he was General Manager of the Enzymes business.
Brian has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota.
Managing Partner
Jason Kakoyiannis founded Ferment.Co in 2021 as the vehicle to create the next wave of synthetic biology product companies. Specifically, these are companies born platform native on top of Foundries like the ones at Ginkgo Bioworks. In the age of “bio Foundries,” biotech company creation looks different because Founders can take immediate advantage of ready hardware infrastructure, pre-packed cell development kits, debugged biological code assets, and other economies of scale.
Jason joined forces with Ginkgo Bioworks in 2015 as part of the commercial team. From 2018 – 2021 he was Head of Ventures, where he helped found strategic spinoff companies like Motif Foodworks (food ingredients), Allonnia (waste remediation), Arcaea (personal care and beauty actives), Verb Biotics (probiotics for consumer nutrition), and Ayana Bio (plant bioactives for complementary medicine).
Prior to joining forces with Ginkgo, Jason held strategic growth roles at Givaudan developing global products and brands with Unilever, Natura, Estée Lauder, and others. He began his career as an M&A attorney at Shearman & Sterling in public company transactions and takeover defense. Jason received his BA from Brown University, MA from Yale, and JD from USC.
We have the capacity to create everything we need to flourish – from food to medicine to new materials. As we adapt biology with compassion and care, the future is waiting to be written.
Let’s grow a new world together.
