Published by Todd Bush on August 22, 2023
August 22, 2023 09:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cascade Biocatalysts, a biomanufacturing company catalyzing green chemistry, raised an oversubscribed $2.6 M pre-seed led by Ten VC with participation from mplify.LA, Boost VC, Range Ventures, Spacecadet, and the Cool Climate Collective. Cascade aims to use the raised funds to scale its impact from the lab bench to pilot scale and to support its initial wave of customers.
Cascade's co-founders: Alex Rosay (CEO, left) and James Weltz (CSO, right)
Cascade’s vision is to make the industrial use of enzymes more affordable to accelerate the transition to greener chemical manufacturing. At the heart of Cascade Biocatalysts' breakthrough lies its proprietary technology, the patent-pending Body Armor for Enzymes™, which drives more cost-effective and sustainable chemical reactions by improving enzyme performance.
The inventor and his creation: James Weltz, Cascade's CSO, with his novel enzyme immobilization solution
For billions of years, nature has relied on enzymes to efficiently make useful molecules. Cascade is moving nature's catalysts out of the cell and into the factory, transitioning chemical manufacturing away from energy-intensive, petrochemical-based processes. By doing so, the company aims to address the three gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the chemicals industry. Overcoming the current barrier of enzyme cost is a crucial step toward making this a reality.
Cascade’s technology uses readily available and cost-effective materials to keep expensive enzymes lasting significantly longer. So far, Cascade has worked on 15 different enzymes and is 100% successful at improving stability under tough industrial conditions, including for multiple paying customers at the lab scale. Find more data in this article that highlights Cascade’s potential in creating molecular factories. The company's initial projects span diverse applications, including carbon dioxide capture, fragrance manufacturing, and wastewater treatment, highlighting the broad commercial potential of biocatalysts.
The company's co-founders, Alex Rosay and James Weltz, bring together chemical engineering backgrounds, industry expertise, and scientific innovation.
James invented the technology while doing his PhD in the field of enzyme immobilization. “I had tried all other solutions, and they were inconsistent,” said James Weltz, Cascade’s Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). “When I developed our novel approach, I transformed immobilizing enzymes from a trial-and-error process into an engineering discipline.”
“From the moment I met James, I knew his technology would revolutionize biomanufacturing,” said Alex Rosay, CEO and industry veteran. “From my time as a product manager at Zymergen, I saw a billion dollars go towards precision fermentation unsuccessfully, and I realized cell-free and enzyme processes were the future of the industry, though too expensive today. James’s technology solves this.”
With its headquarters in Denver and a presence in California and New York, Cascade Biocatalysts is well-positioned to spearhead the cell-free biomanufacturing revolution. Interested parties can contact Alex Rosay at [email protected] to learn more.
>> In Other News: Astronergy, NIO and OPF hand for the world's first EV PV Self-consumption System with V2G Chargers at Qilian Mountain National Park
Cascade Biocatalysts specializes in advancing enzyme-based processes. With its groundbreaking Body Armor for Enzymes™ technology, the company seeks to drive greener and more cost-effective chemical reactions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainability across industries. Headquartered in Denver, Cascade is committed to scaling up its impact and revolutionizing the future of the chemical economy.
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Inside This Issue 🧪 $400M Bet on Blue Ammonia: Industry Giants Push Carbon Capture in Louisiana 🏭 Linde Signs Long-Term Agreement to Supply Industrial Gases to World-Scale Low-Carbon Ammonia Facil...
Inside This Issue 🔌 BP's Indiana Exit Is Not the Endgame for Clean Hydrogen ☀️ Cadiz Signs Second MOU for Hydrogen - Solar Development at Cadiz Ranch 🏗️ Heidelberg Materials Inaugurates Brevik CCS...
Inside This Issue 🧩 Who Gets Left Behind? Inside the Senate Plan Reshaping America's Clean Energy Future 🌿 TMD Energy Limited Enters into Strategic Memorandum of Agreement to Advance Green Bioener...
Carbon Upcycling Technologies ("Carbon Upcycling"), a leader in carbon and resource utilization, announced today the closing of its USD 18 million investment round led by Builders Vision, a team of...
BUSE Gases Limited is excited to announce a transformative 10-year offtake agreement with Acorn Bioenergy, marking a significant leap forward in our commitment to sustainability and innovation. Un...
Back by Aramco Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, and TDK Ventures, Spiritus is set to transform carbon removal, turbocharging America’s AI-driven future with energy an...
WOKING, England--Linde (Nasdaq: LIN) today announced it has signed a new long-term agreement with Blue Point Number One, a joint venture between CF Industries, JERA and Mitsui & Co.. Under the ...
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.