Synthetic biology startup StrainX Bioworks has raised $13 million in a funding round co-led by Prime Venture Partners and Leo Capital, with participation from Good Startup, Sparrow Capital, Sun Icon Ventures, Dhoka Ventures and WTF (India) Delhi Angels.
The proceeds will be used to expand research and development capabilities, scale fermentation infrastructure, grow its engineering and scientific teams, and accelerate global commercialisation efforts, StrainX Bioworks said in a press release.Co-founded in 2023 by Akshay Mittal and Alok Malaviya, StrainX Bioworks is a synthetic biology and precision fermentation startup focused on alternative proteins. The company develops proprietary enzymes, proteins and metabolites for the food, healthcare and agriculture sectors.
According to the company, it has spent the past two years building capabilities across strain engineering, fermentation, process scale-up and product development while operating in stealth mode. It aims to engineer biological systems and use precision fermentation to produce high-value food ingredients and alternative proteins, with a focus on building a more sustainable food supply chain.
The startup said it has already demonstrated fermentation at the 10,000-litre scale and is now focused on scaling production further as it prepares for commercialisation in India and overseas markets, including the US. Its platform integrates biotechnology, fermentation infrastructure, process engineering and product development into a single system designed to accelerate the transition from scientific discovery to industrial-scale manufacturing.
Synthetic biology involves engineering microbes to produce molecules traditionally sourced from plants or animals. These microorganisms are then scaled through industrial fermentation systems to manufacture proteins and ingredients in controlled environments. While such technologies have historically been used in pharmaceuticals, companies are increasingly exploring their applications across food, nutrition and consumer products as production costs continue to decline.