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'''Ginkgo Bioworks''' is a [[biotech company]] from the [[United States]] founded in 2009 by scientists from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] and headed by [[Tom Knight (scientist)|Tom Knight]]. The company specializes in using [[genetic engineering]] to produce [[bacteria]] with industrial applications.<ref>{{cite news |last=Molteni|first=Megan|date=14 September 2017|title=With Designer Bacteria, Crops One Day Could Fertilize Themselves|url=https://www.wired.com/story/with-designer-bacteria-crops-could-one-day-fertilize-themselves/|work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Herper|first=Mathew|date=8 June 2016|title=Boston Startup Raises $100 Million To Use Synthetic Biology To Design Microbes For Industry|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2016/06/08/boston-startup-raises-100-million-to-use-synthetic-biology-to-design-microbes-for-industry/#511b654f34c4|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Adams|first=Susan|date=14 September 2017|title=Bayer And Ginkgo Bioworks, A Startup, Aim To Make Crops Produce Their Own Nitrogen Fertilizer|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2017/09/14/new-venture-aims-to-make-crops-produce-their-own-nitrogen-fertilizer/#5188255b1db0|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Weisman|first=Robert|date=29 September 2016|title=Ginkgo Bioworks opens production site for custom cells|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/09/29/ginkgo-bioworks-opens-production-site-for-custom-cells/NOkYPicm7tIusnQRhp0TYL/story.html|work=[[Boston Globe]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref> Ginkgo Bioworks is an analytics company that designs organisms for customers in a range of industries. It is the self-proclaimed "Organism Company" and is one of the world's largest privately held biotech companies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ginkgobio-fundraising-idUSKBN1WO1U9|title=Ginkgo Bioworks raises $350 million fund for biotech spinouts|date=2019-10-09|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-11-07|language=en}}</ref> As of 2019, it was valued at $4.2 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-11-06/ginkgo-bioworks-ceo-wants-biology-to-manufacture-physical-goods|title=Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Wants Biology to Manufacture Physical Goods|website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|access-date=2019-11-07}}</ref>
'''Ginkgo Bioworks''' is a [[biotech company]] from the [[United States]] founded in 2009 by scientists from [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] and headed by [[Tom Knight (scientist)|Tom Knight]]. The company specializes in using [[genetic engineering]] to produce [[bacteria]] with industrial applications.<ref>{{cite news |last=Molteni|first=Megan|date=14 September 2017|title=With Designer Bacteria, Crops One Day Could Fertilize Themselves|url=https://www.wired.com/story/with-designer-bacteria-crops-could-one-day-fertilize-themselves/|work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Herper|first=Mathew|date=8 June 2016|title=Boston Startup Raises $100 Million To Use Synthetic Biology To Design Microbes For Industry|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2016/06/08/boston-startup-raises-100-million-to-use-synthetic-biology-to-design-microbes-for-industry/#511b654f34c4|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Adams|first=Susan|date=14 September 2017|title=Bayer And Ginkgo Bioworks, A Startup, Aim To Make Crops Produce Their Own Nitrogen Fertilizer|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2017/09/14/new-venture-aims-to-make-crops-produce-their-own-nitrogen-fertilizer/#5188255b1db0|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Weisman|first=Robert|date=29 September 2016|title=Ginkgo Bioworks opens production site for custom cells|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/09/29/ginkgo-bioworks-opens-production-site-for-custom-cells/NOkYPicm7tIusnQRhp0TYL/story.html|work=[[Boston Globe]]|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref> Ginkgo Bioworks is an analytics company that designs organisms for customers in a range of industries. It is the self-proclaimed "Organism Company" and is one of the world's largest privately held biotech companies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ginkgobio-fundraising-idUSKBN1WO1U9|title=Ginkgo Bioworks raises $350 million fund for biotech spinouts|date=2019-10-09|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-11-07|language=en}}</ref> As of 2019, it was valued at $4.2 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-11-06/ginkgo-bioworks-ceo-wants-biology-to-manufacture-physical-goods|title=Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Wants Biology to Manufacture Physical Goods|website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|access-date=2019-11-07}}</ref>


Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo uses genetic engineering to design and print new DNA for a variety of organisms such as plants and bacteria. In 2017, Ginkgo partnered with [[Bayer]] to synthesize microbes so [[Genetically_modified_organism|GMO]] crops like corn, wheat, and rice could produce their own fertilizer.<ref name="CNBC 2018-12-21">{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/21/bill-gates-backed-start-up-ginkgo-bioworks-prints-synthetic-dna.html |title=This $1 billion start-up backed by Bill Gates prints new DNA — and everyone from the DOD to Bayer is on board |work=CNBC |date=2018-12-21 |accessdate=2021-04-26 }}</ref> Ginkgo has also opened a microbial biofactory named ''Bioworks 4'', where they engineer mammal cells of mice, hamsters, and humans.<ref name="WIRED 2018-10-24">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/story/ginkgo-bioworks-is-turning-human-cells-into-on-demand-factories/ |title=Ginkgo Bioworks Is Turning Human Cells Into On-Demand Factories |work=WIRED |date=2018-10-24 |accessdate=2021-04-26 }}</ref>
Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo uses genetic engineering to design and print new DNA for a variety of organisms such as plants and bacteria. In 2017, Ginkgo partnered with [[Bayer]] to synthesize microbes for [[Genetically_modified_organism|GMO]] crops like corn, wheat, and rice so they can produce their own fertilizer.<ref name="CNBC 2018-12-21">{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/21/bill-gates-backed-start-up-ginkgo-bioworks-prints-synthetic-dna.html |title=This $1 billion start-up backed by Bill Gates prints new DNA — and everyone from the DOD to Bayer is on board |work=CNBC |date=2018-12-21 |accessdate=2021-04-26 }}</ref> Ginkgo has also opened a microbial biofactory named ''Bioworks 4'', where they engineer mammal cells of mice, hamsters, and humans.<ref name="WIRED 2018-10-24">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/story/ginkgo-bioworks-is-turning-human-cells-into-on-demand-factories/ |title=Ginkgo Bioworks Is Turning Human Cells Into On-Demand Factories |work=WIRED |date=2018-10-24 |accessdate=2021-04-26 }}</ref>


== Funding ==
== Funding ==

Revision as of 13:30, 27 April 2021

Ginkgo Bioworks
Company typePrivate
IndustryBiotechnology
Founded2009; 16 years ago (2009) in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
FoundersTom Knight, Jason Kelly, Reshma Shetty, Barry Canton, Austin Che
Headquarters
Boston
,
United States of America
Key people
Tom Knight
Jason Kelly
Reshma Shetty
Barry Canton
Austin Che
Christina Agapakis, Creative Director
Number of employees
~200
Websiteginkgobioworks.com

Ginkgo Bioworks is a biotech company from the United States founded in 2009 by scientists from MIT and headed by Tom Knight. The company specializes in using genetic engineering to produce bacteria with industrial applications.[1][2][3][4] Ginkgo Bioworks is an analytics company that designs organisms for customers in a range of industries. It is the self-proclaimed "Organism Company" and is one of the world's largest privately held biotech companies.[5] As of 2019, it was valued at $4.2 billion.[6]

Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo uses genetic engineering to design and print new DNA for a variety of organisms such as plants and bacteria. In 2017, Ginkgo partnered with Bayer to synthesize microbes for GMO crops like corn, wheat, and rice so they can produce their own fertilizer.[7] Ginkgo has also opened a microbial biofactory named Bioworks 4, where they engineer mammal cells of mice, hamsters, and humans.[8]

Funding

In 2019, Ginkgo Bioworks received $290 million in September and a $350 million fund in October. General Atlantic, Viking Global Investors, and Bill Gates’ investment firm Cascade Investment participated in the financing.[5]

In November 2020, Ginkgo Bioworks received $1.1 billion from the U.S. government for COVID-19 testing and production of raw materials for therapies to address future pandemics.[9]

In April 2021, Ginkgo Bioworks is said to be thinking over the idea to go public via a reverse merger with special-purpose acquisition company Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp. The potential deal could value Ginkgo at more than $20 billion.[10]

COVID-19

In 2020, Ginkgo Bioworks helped optimize a piece of the manufacturing process of Moderna Inc.'s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.[10]

In March 2021, Ginkgo announced a new program called Concentric to provide pooled SARS-CoV-2 testing for K-12 schools in the United States as part of a $10 billion U.S. Government initiative to provide school testing.[11]

References

  1. ^ Molteni, Megan (14 September 2017). "With Designer Bacteria, Crops One Day Could Fertilize Themselves". Wired. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  2. ^ Herper, Mathew (8 June 2016). "Boston Startup Raises $100 Million To Use Synthetic Biology To Design Microbes For Industry". Forbes. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  3. ^ Adams, Susan (14 September 2017). "Bayer And Ginkgo Bioworks, A Startup, Aim To Make Crops Produce Their Own Nitrogen Fertilizer". Forbes. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  4. ^ Weisman, Robert (29 September 2016). "Ginkgo Bioworks opens production site for custom cells". Boston Globe. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Ginkgo Bioworks raises $350 million fund for biotech spinouts". Reuters. 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  6. ^ "Ginkgo Bioworks CEO Wants Biology to Manufacture Physical Goods". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  7. ^ "This $1 billion start-up backed by Bill Gates prints new DNA — and everyone from the DOD to Bayer is on board". CNBC. 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  8. ^ "Ginkgo Bioworks Is Turning Human Cells Into On-Demand Factories". WIRED. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  9. ^ "Biotech firm Ginkgo in talks with Harry Sloan-led SPAC for over $20 billion deal". Reuters. 2021-04-09. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  10. ^ a b "Ginkgo Bioworks reportedly explores $20B SPAC deal". Biz Journal. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  11. ^ "Ginkgo Bioworks, Olive Labs, CQuentia to Provide SARS-CoV-2 Pooled Testing in K-12 Schools". Genomeweb. 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-04-26.


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