Christophe Schilling talks to Il Bioeconomista. An exclusive interview with the CEO of Genomatica

Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica during his speech at the Grand Opening of Mater Biotech's plant in Bottrighe di Adria, Italy
Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica, at the Grand Opening of Mater Biotech’s plant in Bottrighe di Adria, Italy

“Biotech is becoming increasingly important to the mainstream chemical industry as the demand for more sustainable solutions intensifies. Biotech is especially well-suited to help with some of the industry’s biggest challenges”. To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Christophe Schilling, founder and CEO of Genomatica, a widely-recognized bioengineering leader for the chemical industry. The San Diego-based biotechnology company develops and licenses bio-based manufacturing processes for the production of intermediate and basic chemicals.

Since being named CEO in May 2009, Christophe Schilling has led Genomatica to widespread recognition as a leader in industrial biotechnology, with a commercialized first process, top-tier licensees, strong investors and an unrivaled string of awards for engineering (Kirkpatrick), science (EPA Presidential Green Chemistry), industry leadership (voted #1 Hottest three years in a row by Biofuels Digest), and company culture (The Scientist as a Best Place to Work). Schilling frequently speaks on industry trends at major conferences and serves as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Biotechnology.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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Who is afraid of the bioeconomy?

Bioeconomy every day @ BioBased World 2015 in Frankfurt am Main
Bioeconomy every day @ BioBased World 2015 in Frankfurt am Main

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

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Corbion expands its production of PLA bioplastics in Thailand

Tierk de Ruiter, Ceo Corbion
Tjerk de Ruiter, Ceo Corbion

Dutch biochemical company Corbion is building its new PLA bioplastics polymerization plant at the existing Corbion site in Rayong, Thailand. Upon completion in 2018, it will be able to produce the complete Luminy® portfolio of PLA neat resins: from standard PLA to innovative, high heat resistant PLA.

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The Biofuture Platform launched at COP22 by a coalition of bioeconomy leading countries

marrakech-cop22Yesterday, at COP22, in Marrakech (Morocco), a coalition of leading countries in the clean energy and the bioeconomy fields announced the launching of the Biofuture Platform, a new collective effort to accelerate development and scale up deployment of modern sustainable low-carbon alternatives to fossil based solutions in transport fuels, industrial processes, chemicals, plastics and other sectors.

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Finally Italy has its own bioeconomy strategy

Paolo Bonaretti in Rimini
Paolo Bonaretti in Rimini

Finally Italy has its own strategy on bioeconomy. This was announced by Paolo Bonaretti, representative of the Ministry of Economic Development, last week in Rimini, Emilia Romagna Region, during an event on the bioeconomy in the Mediterranean organized within the Ecomondo Fair, with the presence, among others, of John Bell, Director for BioEconomy, DG Research & Innovation EU Commission, and Philippe Mengal, executive director of the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking. Good news, then, for the bioeconomy in Italy. The new strategy will be published on the web site www.agenziacoesione.gov.it starting from 20th November for an open public consultation, which will last a month.

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Amyris launches the consumer beauty brand Biossance in Sephora’s retail stores

sephoraBiossance™, the consumer beauty brand from Amyris, Inc., the US integrated renewable products company, announced its planned launch in Sephora’s retail stores where the brand’s expansive line of high-performance skin care products will be available to consumers. The rollout to initial participating stores will begin in February 2017 and coincide with launching on Sephora online. Additional in-store and online marketing activities with Sephora to highlight the Biossance brand shortly following launch are planned.

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Leaf Resources invests in Malaysia for the construction of Bio-Manufacturing Facilities

Palm plantation in Malaysia
Palm plantation in Malaysia

Leaf Resources Ltd, the Australian company focused on making sustainable products from plant biomass, together with Leaf Development, its US-based joint development partner, achieved significant milestones related to the development in Malaysia of at least one commercial-scale, second-generation, bio-chemical production facility.

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BIO urges U.S. Congress to advance a multi-year extension of renewable energy tax credits

Tom Vilsack and Barack Obama
Tom Vilsack and Barack Obama

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) urges U.S. Congress to advance a multi-year extension of renewable energy tax credits slated to expire at the end of 2016.

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Pasquale Granata and Mathieu Flamini launch The BioJournal

Mathieu Flamini and Pasquale Granata launch The BioJournal
Mathieu Flamini and Pasquale Granata launch The BioJournal

Published “to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.”

We can borrow this mission statement written on the contents page of the first issue of The Economist, published by James Wilson in September 1843, to define exactly the reason that today, 173 years later, leads to the launch of The BioJournal.

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Ginkgo Bioworks and Genomatica join forces

Christophe Schilling
Christophe Schilling

Ginkgo Bioworks and Genomatica announced an alliance to more rapidly deliver biology-based solutions for the world’s highest-volume intermediate and specialty chemicals. Mainstream chemical producers can now in-license technology to manufacture their widely-used chemicals with cost-effective and sustainable whole-process solutions that include engineered microorganisms, complete process designs and technology transfer support. The alliance is structured as a deep collaboration, with two-way sharing of technology and intellectual property, along with joint technology development, to provide a single unified offering to the market.

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