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Using microbes to change the world
Building a green future
Committed to making better and greener living by microbiology
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Company introduction
PhaBuilder with cutting-edge synthetic biotechnology
PhaBuilder is a company with leading synthetic biotechnology, focusing on the transformation and engineering of halophilic microorganisms.

PhaBuilder was founded in February 2021 by Professor Guoqiang Chen, director of the Center for Synthesis and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University. It mainly uses the cutting-edge "Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology(NGIB)" to develop and produce a variety of high-value-added products such as PHA - a biodegradable material, ectoine - a pharmaceutical intermediate, and cadaverine - a Nylon 56 precursor. 

PhaBuilder currently has two PHA plants under construction - the synthetic biology intelligent development plant in Beijing China-German Industrial Park and the 10 kt/annum plant in Yichang, Hubei Province. It also plans to build up 3-5 large-scale production bases throughout China within five years. 

At present, PhaBuilder has completed two rounds of financing, raising around 300 million yuan in total. The investors include Sequoia Capital, China State-owned Enterprise Mixed Ownership Reform Fund, and GRC SinoGreen Fund, etc. 

In the future, PhaBuilder will constantly promote synthetic biotechnology to deeply integrate with people's lives and upgrade the intelligent biological manufacturing industry, in order to achieve PhaBuilder's core mission of "Using microbes to change the world and build a green future".
Build a new generation of green "super factory of cell" based on "the next generation industrial biotechnology"
Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology
Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology
Utilize extremophiles growing in special environments as chassis cells and build an open, non-sterile, and continuous fermentation system.
Mass production capacity with multiple production lines
Mass production capacity with multiple production lines
Development and produce a variety of high value-added products, including PHA - a biodegradable material, ectoine - a pharmaceutical intermediate, and cadaverine - a nylon 56 precursor, etc.
Cross-industry Partnership
Cross-industry Partnership
PhaBuilder has established partnership with Angel Yeast Co.,Ltd (listed), North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (listed), Meituan Green Tech Fund, Engelbart Wuhan Biologische Verfahren GmbH, and Novozymes (China) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
Efficient production
Efficient production
The non-sterile system makes it possible to ferment continuously during production, which along with the simple operation and standardized process, highly improves the production efficiency.
Non-food crops
Non-food crops
Through green innovative technology, PhaBuilder can use straw hydrolyzate, kitchen treatment products, waste glycerin, molasses and other products for production, reducing food consumption.
Multi-functional bacteria
Multi-functional bacteria
Only one strain (halophilic bacteria) can produce a variety of products, such as PHA, ectoine, cadaverine, inositol, carotenoids and other materials.
Development
PhaBuilder’s development history
1994
Professor Guo-Qiang Chen returned to China to start research on synthetic biology
2003
Developed production technology of PHA
2009
Obtained extreme bacteria Halomonas from Ayding Lake, Xinjiang/China
2014
Completed open fermentation to produce PHB and PHBV in the laboratory
Started the study of fermentation process for 5 tons and 15 tons pilot scale test
2016
Completed the bench-scale test of P34HB strain and achieved the tons/annual production of P34HB
2017
Completed 5 tons pilot test production in fermentors
2018
Completed the mass production of 5 tons in fermentors
2019
Completed the mass production of 15 tons in fermentors
2020
Started the study of fermentation process for 200 tons
2021.2
PhaBuilder was founded in Beijing
2021.8
Completed a 50 million yuan 
angel round of financing led by Sequoia Capital
2021.9
Registered in Beijing’s Zhongguancun high-tech enterprises
Completed the process commissioning of 200 tons in fermentors
2021.10
Settled in Beijing China-German Industrial Park
2022.1
Completed 250 million yuan A round of funding from China State-owned Enterprise Mixed Ownership Reform Fund, Sequoia Capital,etc.
2022.2
Joined the Blue Mountain Project launched by Meituan to promote green packaging
2022.3
Successfully constructed an engineering strain capable of withstanding alkaline environment and producing lysine and cadaverine with Tsinghua University
2022.5
With Tsinghua University: achieving mass production of high transparency degradable materials
With Engelbart: promoting the development of synthetic biology in sewage treatment
2022.6
Developed a new type of biosensor with high sensitivity for smart cell factory with collaborators
Announced strategic collaboration with North China Pharmaceutical Company to promote the industrial development of pharmaceutical small molecule materials
2022.7
Won 1st prize in the China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Zhong-Guo-Chuang-Yi)
Won MIT Technology Review 50 Smartest Companies
Invested in a joint venture “Phangel” with Angel Yeast to build a 10/kt annum plant
2022.8
Announced strategic collaboration with Tongjieliang to promote PHA/PLA blends in the textile fiber market
The Synthetic Biology Intelligent Development plant in Beijing China-German Industrial Park will soon go into operation
Management Team
PhaBuilder has a professional team composed of experienced professionals from academia, business and industry.
Guoqiang Chen
Founder & Chief Scientist
1981-1985 B.Sc., South China University of Technology, China
1985-1989 Ph.D., Graz University of Technology, Austria
1990-1994 Postdoc, University of Nottingham (UK) and University of Alberta (Canada)
1997-Present Professor, Tsinghua University
2003-2009 Served as the director of the Multidisciplinary Research Center of Shantou University
Professor Guoqiang Chen has been focusing his research on biosynthetic PHA and the next generation industrial biotechnology for all long.
More than 350 papers related to microbial technology and biomaterials have been published in the international academic journals such as Chemical Reviews, Chemical Society Reviews, Science, Advanced Materials, Advanced Science, Nucleic Acids Research, Nature Communications, Trends in Biotechnology, Biomaterials, Metabolic Engineering and Current Opinions in Biotechnology. 
His papers on Web of Sciences have been cited more than 22,000 times(H-index 72) [Google Scholar cited more than 60,000 times, H-index 100].
He has more than 50 authorized patents and 50 public patents.

Awards:
National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Workers, 2016
Hou Debang Chemical Science and Technology Award-Innovation Award, 2015
1st Min Enze Energy and Chemical Outstanding Contribution Award, 2013
Tan Jiazhen Life Science Innovation Award, 2011
Cheungkong Scholar, Ministry of Education, 2004
University Youth Teacher Award, Ministry of Education, 2004
8th Young Chinese Scientific Achievement Award, 2004
Silver award, Internationale Ausstellung, Ideen, Erfindungen und Neuheiten, Nürnberg, Germany, 2003
Mao Yisheng Science and Technology Award，2003
Winner of National Science Foundation for distinguished young scholars, 2002
2nd Class China National Invention Award, 2002
Chief scientist of the 973 Program synthetic biology and National Science and Technology Major Project
Director of the Center for Synthesis and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University
Adjunct Professor at The University of Manchester
Good Teacher and Friend to Graduate Students of Tsinghua University，2001-2006
Mei Yiqi Award, Tsinghua University, 2007-2010
Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Researchers for 7 years

Academic Services:
He served as the deputy editor of the following international and domestic academic journals: Chinese Journal of Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology Journal, Journal of Biotechnology, Microbial Cell Factories, Biotechnology Journal, Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology.
Editorial board member of Trends in Biotechnology, Current Opinions in Biotechnology, Metabolic Engineering, ACS Synthetic Biology, Microbial Biotechnology, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Biomaterials, Biomacromolecules, Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine and Biotechnology, Advanced Biosystems, Synthetic Biology, Metabolic Engineering Communications.
More
  • Fuqing Wu
    Co-founder
    Associate researcher of School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University and was skilled in PHA synthesis and production technology. He has published more than 40 papers, obtained five patents, and hosted 5 national level projects including the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
  • Yuxuan Lan
    Co-founder & VP
    Responsible for marketing, product and business cooperation
    Bachelor of Tsinghua University, Master of UC Berkeley, visiting scholar at Stanford University. He has practical experience in venture capital, marketing resource integration, etc.
  • Shuyi Liu
    Vice President
    Responsible for investment and financing, government relations
    Previous investment director of the state-owned investment platform company in Shunyi District, Beijing. Responsible for equity investment affairs, industrial implementation and government investment in Shunyi commissions/offices/bureaus.
  • Quan Zhou
    Chief Engineer
    Responsible for process design, equipment selection, factory construction
    He has been working in the fermentation industry for more than 30 years and responsible for the construction of two large fermentation plants and the production management of two enterprises. He has rich experience in design, construction and production.
  • NG WUH JER
    Director of Bacteria R&D
    Responsible for genetic modification, product development
    From the School of Life Sciences of Tsinghua University, he followed Professor Guoqiang Chen in the PHA project of biosynthesis of degradable plastics by Halomonas for 5 years. He has rich experience from strain construction to production pilot test.
Team Members
Cooperation with talents
  • PhaBuilder’s core technical team was from Tsinghua University, which was founded by Professor Guoqiang Chen, Director of the Center for Synthesis and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University.
  • Moreover, PhaBuilder has team members from UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Nottingham, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiangnan University, South China University of Technology and other world-renowned universities.
Enterprise Honor
Entrepreneurship History Comes with Honor
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Zhongguancun High-tech Enterprise
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Investor Background
Investor Background
资方背景
资方背景
资方背景
资方背景
资方背景
资方背景
资方背景
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