Ginkgo Bioworks

Notes

Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading synthetic biology company providing a horizontal platform for cell programming. Founded by scientists from MIT, the company operates "The Foundry," a massive automated facility for designing, building, and testing genetically engineered organisms at industrial scale.

The company went public via SPAC merger in September 2021 at a valuation exceeding $15 billion, making it one of the largest synthetic biology IPOs. Ginkgo trades on NYSE under ticker DNA.

Ginkgo works with partners across multiple industries to engineer organisms that produce valuable chemicals, pharmaceuticals, flavors, fragrances, agricultural products, and more. Notable partnerships include work with Bayer (agriculture), Roche (pharma), and numerous other Fortune 500 companies.

The company significantly expanded during COVID-19 through its biosecurity division, acquiring Concentric by Ginkgo, which provided pathogen monitoring services.

Team

Jason Kelly, Ph.D. - Co-founder & CEO
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonkelly
Reshma Shetty, Ph.D. - Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reshmashetty
Barry Canton, Ph.D. - Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer
Austin Che, Ph.D. - Co-founder
Tom Knight, Ph.D. - Co-founder (MIT faculty, synthetic biology pioneer)

Additional Research Findings

Founded in 2008 by five MIT scientists
Public company on NYSE (ticker: DNA) since September 2021
SPAC merger valued company at ~$15 billion
Operates "The Foundry" - automated cell programming facility
Horizontal platform model: partners pay for cell engineering
Acquired Zymergen assets in 2022
Biosecurity division provides pathogen monitoring
Partners include Bayer, Roche, Moderna, and others
Key investors include Cascade Investment, Viking Global, and others
Approximately 1,000 employees
Revenue model includes upfront payments, milestones, and royalties

Notes

Team

Additional Research Findings

Sources

Investors