Solvay Ventures, the venture capital fund of Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium), has invested in DMC Biotechnologies, a U.S.-based biotechnology company. DMC, which stands for Dynamic Metabolic Control, delivers robust and predictably scalable biocatalysts through microbial fermentation. This results in cost-competitive bio-based chemicals produced for animal feed, human nutrition, sustainable cleaning and pharmaceutical applications.
DMC represents Solvay Venture’s first portfolio company in biotechnology. Its core technology addresses a key challenge for biotech companies, considered to be the next wave of a biotechnology paradigm, as it decouples cell growth and production while optimizing metabolic pathways in each phase. This optimization results in unprecedented yields and predictability for scale-up.
“DMC has demonstrated exceptional speed by moving from targeted molecules to products ready for commercialization at the right scale,” said Thomas Canova, head of Solvay Ventures. “The versatility of the platform, translated into the large range of products, aligns perfectly with Solvay’s aspiration to bring more bio-based solutions to market.”
Solvay’s flavor and fragrance offerings already leverage some biotechnology capabilities. One of the Group’s flagship products, Rhovanil Natural, is produced by bioconversion of ferulic acid, a natural organic compound found in rice bran. Rhovanil® Natural CW is the market reference for natural vanillin needs.
The $34-million Series B funding round also includes Cibus Enterprise, Capricorn Partners, Sofinnova Partners, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, SCG, Boulder Ventures and Michelin.