Exclusive: Synovance readies for commercial phase of its biotech indigo
Synovance, a French biotech start-up, is nearing the first commercialisation of its bioderived indigo pigment, which is in trials for a possible roll out later this year. The company founded in 2017 has recently been awarded a €2 million grant and is in the process of closing an equity investment round to help it scale up production, currently in pilot phase. Its lab in Bry-sur-Marne, near Paris, is equipped with a 1,000-litre fermenter, and it is preparing to move up to two 10,000 litre units, company co-founder and COO Efthimia Lioliou tells Inside Denim.
Synovance is focusing on indigo as its first commercial product, but Ms Lioliou says that the company is making good progress on red. Tests on dyeing indigo warps to make denim fabrics have been conducted in Italy at Pure Denim with Luigi Caccia, and are also underway at another partner mill outside of Europe.
“The main question everyone asks us today, is will we be cost-competitive, and the answer is yes,” she says, of the company’s bioderived pigment that is a drop-in alternative to synthetic indigo. Synovance believes it has an edge over other biotech companies for its ability to optimise strains, which Ms Lioliou says is the result of extensive R&D, and in the engineering of the vats themselves. “The fermenters are made to our specifications and we have developed in-house various features that automate the process, this contributes to bringing the price down,” she says. The company has patented its genetic process, and is considering patenting the design of its bioreactors.
Synovance’s plans for the immediate future is to scale up to 10,000 litre fermenters in its pilot plant. A first industrial scale factory could be launched in 2025 with production commencing in 2026.
“The regulatory landscape is changing fast and is quite favourable to our technology,” she points out, referring to the presence of aniline in synthetic indigo and the improbability of scaling up natural indigo to address market demand.
Photo courtesy of Synovance
