Key takeaways
- Top pick: Novonesis, best for: Food, farming and industrial companies sourcing enzymes and microbes.
- Also near the top: Ginkgo Bioworks, best for: Companies outsourcing strain and cell engineering; and Twist Bioscience, best for: Research teams ordering synthetic genes and DNA libraries.
- How it was ranked: 10 deep tech companies compared. Each verdict is below.
Best Synthetic Biology Companies: Top 10 Ranked. Novonesis ranks first, with a Lister Score of 97.2.
Novonesis leads globally on scale in enzymes and microbes, and
Ginkgo Bioworks is the best-known platform for engineering organisms.
Twist Bioscience is the main supplier of synthetic DNA to the field, while
LanzaTech and
Solugen are the most advanced at turning engineered biology into industrial chemicals.
Best Synthetic Biology Companies in 2026, compared| RANK | ENTRY | BEST FOR | SCORE | FROM |
|---|
| 1 |  NovonesisNovonesis reported 7 percent organic sales growth and free cash flow of 770.4 million euros for 2025. | Food, farming and industrial companies sourcing enzymes and microbes | 97.2 | Custom |
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| 2 |  Ginkgo BioworksGinkgo Bioworks reported revenue of $170 million for 2025. | Companies outsourcing strain and cell engineering | 95.9 | Custom |
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|
| 3 |  Twist BioscienceTwist reported revenue of $110.7 million for its fiscal second quarter of 2026. | Research teams ordering synthetic genes and DNA libraries | 94.6 | From $0.07 per base pair |
|---|
|
| 4 |  LanzaTechLanzaTech closed a $20 million private placement in January 2026 after a restructuring that cut its operating costs. | Steel, refining and industrial sites recycling waste carbon | 93.2 | Custom |
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|
| 5 |  SolugenSolugen received a conditional commitment for a $213.6 million US Department of Energy loan guarantee in June 2024 to build its Bioforge Marshall plant in Minnesota. | Chemical buyers seeking lower-carbon supply | 91.9 | Custom |
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| 6 |  Pivot BioPivot Bio reported a 2.1 bushel-per-acre average yield advantage for PROVEN G3 across 134 field trials, in data released in February 2026. | Corn and cotton growers cutting synthetic fertiliser | 90.5 | Not public |
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| 7 |  SpiberSpiber announced in April 2024 that it had raised more than 10 billion yen to strengthen mass production and sales. | Fashion and materials brands wanting animal-free protein fibres | 89.2 | Custom |
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| 8 |  AsimovAsimov announced $200 million in financing, including a $175 million Series B, in January 2023. | Drug developers improving cell lines and genetic designs | 87.8 | Custom |
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| 9 |  ArzedaArzeda closed a $38 million oversubscribed funding round in September 2024. | Ingredient and consumer goods companies needing new enzymes | 86.3 | Custom |
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| 10 |  Modern MeadowModern Meadow raised $130 million in a Series C round in 2021. | Fashion and interiors brands replacing animal leather | 84.9 | Custom |
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How to choose
Start from what you need it for. Where each entry fits best:
- Novonesis (#1): Food, farming and industrial companies sourcing enzymes and microbes
- Ginkgo Bioworks (#2): Companies outsourcing strain and cell engineering
- Twist Bioscience (#3): Research teams ordering synthetic genes and DNA libraries
- LanzaTech (#4): Steel, refining and industrial sites recycling waste carbon
- Solugen (#5): Chemical buyers seeking lower-carbon supply
- Pivot Bio (#6): Corn and cotton growers cutting synthetic fertiliser
- Spiber (#7): Fashion and materials brands wanting animal-free protein fibres
- Asimov (#8): Drug developers improving cell lines and genetic designs
- Arzeda (#9): Ingredient and consumer goods companies needing new enzymes
- Modern Meadow (#10): Fashion and interiors brands replacing animal leather
Each entry's full verdict is below.
The ranking, in detail
01
Enzymes, microbes and biosolutions
Novonesis, based in Denmark and formed by the combination of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, makes enzymes, microbes, probiotics and other biosolutions for food, farming, household care and industry. It reported 7 percent organic sales growth for 2025.
PROS- Very broad biosolutions portfolio
- Long record of manufacturing at scale
CONS- Large-company sales process
- Price set per contract
- Best for
- Food, farming and industrial companies sourcing enzymes and microbes
- Where it falls short
- Its large-company sales process may not suit buyers seeking quick, direct engagement.
- Pick something else if
- you need a faster, more direct purchasing experience.
97.2
02
Organism engineering and automated labs
Ginkgo Bioworks, based in Boston and listed on the NYSE, offers organism engineering and automated lab services to pharma, agriculture and industrial customers. It reported full-year 2025 revenue of $170 million and announced a focus on autonomous lab offerings.
PROS- Large automated lab infrastructure
- Works across pharma, agriculture and industry
CONS- Shifting its business toward lab automation
- Price set per project
- Best for
- Companies outsourcing strain and cell engineering
- Where it falls short
- The price is set per project rather than offering a standard subscription model.
- Pick something else if
- you need predictable flat-rate pricing.
95.9
03
Synthetic DNA, genes and oligo pools
Twist Bioscience, based in South San Francisco and listed on Nasdaq, makes synthetic DNA, genes and oligo pools on a silicon-based manufacturing platform for research, drug discovery and diagnostics.
PROS- Published per-base pricing
- Fast turnaround on gene orders
CONS- Supplier of building blocks rather than finished products
- Large orders priced by quote
- Best for
- Research teams ordering synthetic genes and DNA libraries
- Where it falls short
- Large orders require a custom quote rather than standard pricing.
- Pick something else if
- you need fixed pricing for large orders.
94.6
04
Gas fermentation that turns waste carbon into chemicals
LanzaTech, based in Skokie, Illinois, and listed on Nasdaq, uses gas fermentation to turn industrial waste gases into ethanol and other chemicals. Its technology runs in commercial plants in China, India and Belgium.
PROS- Commercial plants already running
- Turns waste carbon into useful chemicals
CONS- Recently restructured to shore up finances
- Depends on partners to build plants
- Best for
- Steel, refining and industrial sites recycling waste carbon
- Where it falls short
- You must rely on partners to construct the necessary production facilities.
- Pick something else if
- you need to build plants independently.
93.2
05
Bioforge plants for plant-based chemicals
Solugen, based in Houston, makes industrial chemicals from plant sugars using engineered enzymes and metal catalysts in its Bioforge plants.
PROS- Chemicals made from plant sugars
- Federal loan support for scale-up
CONS- New plants still scaling
- Price set per contract
- Best for
- Chemical buyers seeking lower-carbon supply
- Where it falls short
- Pricing is negotiated individually rather than listed publicly.
- Pick something else if
- you need transparent standard pricing.
91.9
06
Gene-edited microbes that feed crops nitrogen
Pivot Bio makes gene-edited microbes that fix nitrogen for crops, sold as PROVEN G3 for corn and CERT-N for cotton.
PROS- Reduces synthetic fertiliser use
- Products already sold to farmers
CONS- Results vary by field and season
- Mainly sold in the US
- Best for
- Corn and cotton growers cutting synthetic fertiliser
- Where it falls short
- It is mainly sold in the US, limiting availability for international buyers.
- Pick something else if
- you need a solution available outside the United States.
90.5
07
Brewed Protein materials
Spiber, based in Tsuruoka, Japan, makes Brewed Protein materials by microbial fermentation for apparel and other uses. It raised more than 10 billion yen in April 2024 to expand mass production and sales.
PROS- Animal-free protein materials
- Used in apparel collaborations
CONS- Production volumes still small
- Price set per contract
- Best for
- Fashion and materials brands wanting animal-free protein fibres
- Where it falls short
- Production volumes still small.
- Pick something else if
- you require high-volume manufacturing capacity.
89.2
08
Cell engineering and design tools for medicines
Asimov, based in Boston, provides engineered host cells, genetic parts and design software that help companies develop and make biologics, cell and gene therapies and RNA medicines.
PROS- Combines cell engineering and design software
- Focused on medicine manufacturing
CONS- Serves drug developers only
- Price set per programme
- Best for
- Drug developers improving cell lines and genetic designs
- Where it falls short
- It serves drug developers only.
- Pick something else if
- you are not a drug developer.
87.8
09
Computationally designed enzymes and proteins
Arzeda, based in Seattle, designs enzymes and proteins computationally for food, home and personal care, materials and therapeutics.
PROS- Computational protein design
- Works across several industries
CONS- Smaller than the platform leaders
- Price set per project
- Best for
- Ingredient and consumer goods companies needing new enzymes
- Where it falls short
- Smaller than the platform leaders.
- Pick something else if
- you need predictable fixed costs for enzyme design.
86.3
10
Animal-free bio-fabricated materials
Modern Meadow, based in Pine Brook, New Jersey, makes animal-free bio-fabricated materials, including INNOVERA, a leather-like material made with plant-based proteins, biopolymers and recycled rubber.
PROS- Animal-free material for fashion and interiors
- Long research history in biofabrication
CONS- Early commercial volumes
- Price set per contract
- Best for
- Fashion and interiors brands replacing animal leather
- Where it falls short
- Buyers needing immediate large-scale supply may face delays due to early commercial volumes.
- Pick something else if
- you need immediate large-scale supply.
84.9
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best Synthetic Biology Companies?
Novonesis ranks first on Lister. Novonesis, based in Denmark and formed by the combination of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, makes enzymes, microbes, probiotics and other biosolutions for food, farming, household care and industry. It reported 7 percent organic sales growth for 2025.
What are the top 10 Synthetic Biology Companies?
1. Novonesis; 2. Ginkgo Bioworks; 3. Twist Bioscience; 4. LanzaTech; 5. Solugen; 6. Pivot Bio; 7. Spiber; 8. Asimov; 9. Arzeda; 10. Modern Meadow.
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