TildenBio

University of California, Berkeley

Mammalian cell tissue culture is critical to biomedical research and to the production of many blockbuster drugs. Animal-sourced sera provide the growth factors and cytokines that are essential for tissue culture. After an initial $1.5 million investment, TildenBio's photosynthetic platform is suited to producing biomedical proteins economically, simply, and at large scale. We have achieved expression levels of over 20% of total protein. TildenBio’s technology is simultaneously applicable to a number of markets, including the diagnostic market, edible vaccine market, industrial enzyme market, and possibly next-generation antibiotic markets. With an initial beachhead focused on producing low-cost growth factors and cytokines as replacements for animal-sourced tissue culture sera, TildenBio is searching for a CEO to lead the team into its next chapter.

Aepnus Technology

University of California, Berkeley

Maintaining and expanding lithium cell and battery manufacturing capability here in America—as well as in allied and partner countries—is critical to national security and is essential to developing resilient defense supply chains not under threat from near-peer adversaries. Based on engineering research conducted at UC Berkeley, Aepnus’ electrochemical technology platform reduces the cost to refine industrially relevant salts such as lithium, manganese, and potash by 70%, with far less environmental impact. By electrifying mineral refinement trains, we enable domestic production of these materials and position the US as a leader in the global production of battery minerals. Combining modular flow reactors and state-of-the-art electrode formulations (hardware) with thermodynamic optimization models (software), Aepnus will decarbonize the lithium-ion battery value chain and enable low-cost US domiciled refinement of critical battery minerals.