Synthetic biology, or synbio for short, is rapidly infiltrating multiple fields. From bioplastics to food technology and healthcare, these are the startups in Europe that are expanding the frontiers of what synbio can do to improve our lives in many different ways.
In the not-so-distant future, synthetic biology could bring us anything from spider silk sneakers to sustainable fuel for jet planes. Nothing seems impossible anymore. Oxitec is using genetically-engineered mosquitoes to reduce the transmission of Malaria, Zika and Dengue; Avantium is helping big names like Danone and Coca-Cola go green; and Eligo Bioscience has found a way to specifically target harmful bacteria without disrupting the microbiome. Even our lamps could soon be alive. It’s an exciting time for synbio, so here’s an infographic to celebrate all the companies in Europe making the impossible possible.
Justine Braguy is pursuing a PhD at the Heinrich Heine Universität in Düsseldorf and KAUST in Saudi Arabia after obtaining a Masters in Biotechnology at Ecole Supérieure de Biotechnologie de Strasbourg (ESBS). In her spare time, she creates colorful infographics like this one!