Global Bioenergies (Evry, France; www.global-bioenergies.com) signed a contribution agreement with the shareholders of Syngip B.V. to transfer all Syngip shares to Global Bioenergies S.A. The transaction’s completion remains subject to the fulfillment of several condition,s including approval by the shareholders of Global Bioenergies.
Syngip is a third-generation industrial biotech startup created in 2014 in the Netherlands. It has developed a process to convert gaseous carbon sources, such as CO2, CO and industrial emissions such as syngas, into various valuable chemical compounds. The company has identified a specific micro-organism capable of growing using these gaseous carbon sources as its sole feedstock, and has developed genetic tools to allow the implementation of artificial metabolic pathways into it. Its recent work has been directed to the implementation of metabolic pathways leading to light olefins, including isobutene.
Global Bioenergies has set the diversification of feedstocks usable in its isobutene process as its new R&D frontier. CO2, CO and syngas cause global warming, but represent an abundant and cheap source of carbon. Syngip’s acquisition would greatly accelerate the development of a 3rd generation isobutene process based on the use of such resources, an aim that has been part of Global Bioenergies’ strategy for several years. All Syngip employees would be dedicated, as part of the Global Bioenergies group, to developing such a process.
Bernhard Güntner, CEO of Syngip, comments: “There are clear synergies between Syngip and Global Bioenergies. Combining our technology with Global Bioenergies’ capabilities in metabolic engineering, industrial fermentation and chemical engineering will be a key factor in moving to the industrialization phase. We lose our independence, but it is worth it: the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Global Bioenergies on a daily basis is a very important value for me and all of Syngip’s employees.”
Frédéric Pâques, Chief Operations Officer of Global Bioenergies, states that: “This Syngip acquisition project is part of our general open innovation strategy, where we look outside of our company for technical elements to reinforce our Group.”
Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies, concludes: “We continue to achieve our aim of diversifying the feedstocks usable in our process. This acquisition will increase both our competitiveness and our environmental impact.”