Leverage your ethanol production for next-gen biomanufacturing—tap into fast-growing markets and strategic supply chain initiatives for sustainable chemicals.

Ethanol: the untapped feedstock for biomanufacturing

We’ve spent countless hours talking to ethanol producers, and one thing is clear: the industry is at a turning point. As demand for fuel-grade ethanol declines due to the shift toward electric vehicles, producers are facing underutilized assets and searching for new, high-margin opportunities.

At the same time, global markets are accelerating their push for sustainable, biobased alternatives—especially in sectors like paints, coatings, adhesives, and advanced materials.

This shift creates an opportunity: ethanol producers can pivot their existing infrastructure toward biomanufacturing, a field experiencing exponential growth.

**Consumers & supply chains are moving toward sustainability**
*55% of consumers will pay more for eco-friendly brands. (Source* *BusinessDIT*)
*92% of customers trust environmentally conscious companies. (Source* *BusinessDIT* )
*Sustainable markets are growing 2.7x faster than their non-sustainable counterparts. (Source:* theroundup.org)
**Demand for bio-based chemicals is soaring**
**Acrylic Acid:** Essential for paints, coatings, adhesives, and personal care products.
**Acrylonitrile:** A key precursor for carbon fiber, used in automotive, aerospace, and high-performance materials.
**Domestic supply chains need reliable biobased feedstocks**
Paints and coatings manufacturers worry about supply dominance by large petrochemical players.
Cosmetics and personal care brands are actively seeking sustainable, biobased solutions.

Ethanol is the perfect foundation for the next generation of biomanufacturing.

Cost-competitive with petroleum-based feedstocks – As the world shifts toward biobased materials, ethanol offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional petrochemicals.
Energy-dense liquid that integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure – Unlike solid biomass or expensive purified sugars, ethanol is easy to store, transport, and process.
Lower cost than refined sugars used in precision fermentation – Many biomanufacturing processes rely on purified sugar as a carbon source, but ethanol provides a more affordable option.
Potential to add value to with lower-concentration ethanol – Bioprocesses can use hydrous ethanol (rather than requiring costly purification), unlocking even greater efficiencies.

By pivoting toward biomanufacturing, ethanol producers can tap into high-growth, higher-margin opportunities, securing a strategic advantage in the future of sustainable chemicals.

Why iMicrobes? Your biomanufacturing partner.

Partnering with iMicrobes ensures that ethanol producers stay ahead of shifting market trends while unlocking new revenue streams.

First mover advantage: iMicrobes has a decade of experience in developing and scaling biochemicals, with a highly specialized team skilled in engineering, fermentation, and process optimization.
Ethanol-derived chemicals offer cost-effective, drop-in solutions that seamlessly integrate into existing chemical manufacturing processes for easy, global market adoption.
Strong IP & patent protection of our proprietary ethanol-to-chemicals pathway.
Supported by the Dept. of Energy, BioMADE, and VC part ners, with $10M in funding as of 2024 to accelerate commercialization.

**Key milestones: Scaling up for commercial success**
iMicrobes has achieved **major milestones** in scaling ethanol-based biomanufacturing, bringing us closer to full commercialization.
In **August 2024**, we successfully produced **10 kg+ of polymer per run** while scaling fermentation to **1,500L** and refining purification processes.
This progress was bolstered by a **DoD award** to support our first commercial facility and a **BioMADE grant** to accelerate our second product, **sustainable carbon fiber**.
By **November**, our fermentations demonstrated **excellent alignment between bench-scale and pilot-scale results**, yielding another **10 kg+ of polymer** with improved process parameters.
In **January 2025**, we achieved **kg-scale polymer purification**, allowing us to begin sharing samples with partners and setting the stage for **acrylic acid conversion** in Q1 and Q2.
With a **60% cost reduction since early 2024**, iMicrobes is rapidly advancing toward cost-competitive, scalable biomanufacturing solutions.

How we use ethanol to make new materials

*iMicrobes combines biology and chemistry to create drop-in replacement chemicals from ethanol.*

How can we partner?

Joint development
Engage in hands-on, joint development projects that leverage our expertise and your market insights to bring products to market.

Case study
Build a technoeconomic model with us, in which we examine the costs/benefits of co-location with your ethanol production facility.

Provide samples
Provide iMicrobes ethanol samples from different stages of your facility for testing with our process.

Conclusion

The shift away from ethanol as a fuel presents both a challenge and an opportunity for producers. While traditional markets are evolving, the demand for sustainable, biobased chemicals is accelerating. iMicrobes offers a proven, cost-competitive pathway to transform ethanol into high-value products like acrylic acid and acrylonitrile, unlocking new revenue streams and strategic supply chain advantages. We hope to partner with you to capture this incredible opportunity.

We’re selecting a small group of ethanol producers for initial joint development projects. Want in? Now’s the time to reach out.

Get in touch with our team to learn more

Unlock new markets for your ethanol production