Author: Carrie Cox

By Amir Kaufman, COO and co-founder, Wonderlogix

Biotech is full of innovative startups, but most stumble with industrialization as they begin to scale. Here’s how one company succeeded in scaling up with commercial automation.

As they move from the “hands-on” approach of their founders to full automation, biotech companies often struggle.  They fear a loss of control through use of third-party automation engineers, a threat to IP as these contracted engineers move within the industry, and the difficult cultural change of transitioning from an idea-driven enterprise to one of process-driven automation and industrialization.  Many companies falter during this period. But the right technology partner can offer solutions to address all these challenges.

AlgaeMor’s Move to Commercial Scale Automation

With the proven nutritional value of Spirulina, it would have seemed that this particular strain of algae would have had an immediate market.  But inherent challenges, including taste and smell characteristics, limited its impact and relegated it to pill form as a work-around. Enter AlgaeMor, whose innovative quick freeze process allows it to be sold as fresh while retaining its nutritional value by avoiding heating and drying.  

But as groundbreaking as this process was, automation remained elusive due to the product’s unique characteristics and sensitive nature. The requirement of low sheer equipment and blast freezers meant that process control would have to be precise. AlgaeMor’s co-founder, Baruch Dach, worked in vain for over three months with automation engineers to develop and implement a working process control strategy. With frustration and cost rising, he turned to the WonderLogix platform for a solution.

Algaetech Innovation Meets Automation Innovation

No stranger to innovation, AlgaeMor recognized WonderLogix’s unique approach to automation control. Using Object-Oriented Design principles, the WonderLogix platform allows users—in this case, the life scientists who work directly with the product—to define the components of the system. These components allow the use of natural language and the grouping of components into classes where mass changes can be achieved with a single change to inputs. With specified inputs and outputs, users can then specify the logical relationships between components in plain English.  

AlgaeMor was able to use WonderLogix to model their entire production process. By developing a simulated model to test various scenarios, the scientists who understand their process best were able to retain complete control. The WonderLogix platform allowed the AlgaeMor life scientists to design, develop, and deploy an optimized process control strategy, as well as make changes as needed to their process criteria: environmental conditions, water quality, contaminating agents and strain specific constraints.

By using the WonderLogix platform, AlgaeMor was able to achieve in eight hours what had eluded them in the previous three months. In addition to the natural language capability, the platform also generates documentation automatically. It allows for change control and acts as the engineering-grade production manual, which also serves as the record for Intellectual Property and as a POC roadmap for potential investors. And once the model is finalized, documented and accepted, PLC code is generated automatically.

AlgaeMor Moves Forward with Process Design Control

By utilizing the WonderLogix platform, AlgaeMor was able to address the challenges facing many biotech companies today. Process design control was shifted from third-party automation engineers directly to the life scientists at AlgaeMor. And Intellectual Property was better shielded by keeping the design in-house.

Finally, what was once an operation run on ideas and a notebook, was moved to a documented, agile process that allowed AlgaeMor to scale and grow with far less cost and shorter time to market for their products.

About WonderLogix

WonderLogix is disrupting the world of industrial automation. Using our patented technology, anyone can design and program control systems, in plain English—no coding or engineering knowledge required. Our clients get to market 3x faster than their competition.

Please contact us for more info or to book a demo.

Note: This is a guest post for the ABO blog. The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) are theirs alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by the Algae Biomass Organization

The 2019 Algae Biomass Summit will be held September 16-19, 2019, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. This marks the 13th annual staging of the world’s largest algae conference and trade show, and its first return to Florida since 2013.

Commercial algae producers, algae product developers, and the scientific community are invited to share their milestones in:

• Microalgae and macroalgae research and technology
• New algae products and markets
• Key developments in financing and policy

Submissions are particularly encouraged from algae applications in these key theme areas:

• Food, Feed, Health & Nutrition
• Water, Climate & Soils
• Biofuels & Biomaterials

Abstracts submitted by January 31, 2019 will receive preferred evaluation by the event’s planning committee.

Expose your research, technology and commercial developments to the world’s largest gathering of algae thought leaders, investors, and policy makers!

View the Call for Abstracts Here

In a historic day for the algae industry, the U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a Farm Bill compromise that dramatically expands federal support for algae agriculture. The bill sets U.S. farm policy through 2023. It is expected to pass the House of Representatives as soon as today and receive President Trump’s signature before Christmas.

Among the bill’s more than 800 pages is a suite of provisions placing algae among the nation’s top priorities for new crop deployment and providing support for the development of algae and related technologies in nutrient management, soil health, carbon recycling and other farm and rural applications.

The bill’s key algae provisions include:

• Crop Insurance– Algae are explicitly added under the definition of “agricultural commodity” for the purposes of federal crop insurance programs, paving the way for federal crop insurance for algae production
• Algae Agriculture Research Program– Establishes a new USDA Algae Agriculture Research Program to address challenges in farm-scale algae production and support development of algae-based agriculture solutions
• Biomass Crop Assistance Program– Provides for the first time full eligibility to algae under the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. BCAP provides financial support to farmers for establishment, production and delivery of new biomass crops
• Biobased Markets Program (BioPreferred)– Directs USDA to establish methodology providing full credit for biobased content for products from biologically recycled carbon. Current USDA methodology excludes biobased products from recycled carbon.
• Biorefinery Assistance (9003 Loan Guarantee) Program – Expands the section 9003 loan guarantee program to allow algae-based and other biorefinery projects for the manufacture of renewable chemicals and biobased products to qualify regardless of whether biofuels will be produced
• Carbon Capture and Use – Adds several provisions expanding CCU research, education and outreach at the Department of Agriculture

The bill also reauthorizes BCAP, BioPreferred, and the section 9003 loan guarantee program through 2023, though it strips BCAP of mandatory funding and marginally reduces 9003 mandatory funding levels.

It total, these provisions represent a dramatic advance in federal algae policy with the potential to greatly expand U.S. algae production and rapidly accelerate development and deployment of innovative algae agriculture technologies.

This remarkable outcome is the product of a more than year-long campaign by the ABO Executive Policy Council and the support of more than a dozen congressional offices, including key House and Senate farm bill leaders.

ABO particularly wishes to thank the following:

• Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow championed several key provisions in the Senate bill and in conference negotiations with the House
• House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson provided key support for several algae provisions as well
• Congressional Algae Caucusco-chairs Scott Peters, Darin LaHood, Derek Kilmer and Andy Biggs introduced the Algae Agriculture Act, the landmark legislation that served as the original source of nearly all of the algae provisions included in the final Farm Bill. Reps Peters and LaHood also wrote to farm bill leaders calling for inclusion of Algae Agriculture Act provisions.
• Will Hurd, Matt Cartwright, and Michelle Lujan Grisham also co-sponsored the Algae Agriculture Act, and Rep. Hurd provided key advocacy for inclusion of the algae crop insurance provision in the final farm bill package
• Neal Dunn introduced language in the House Committee hearing that resulted in inclusion of the Algae Agriculture Research Program. Senators John Cornyn and Tom Udall filed an amendment during Senate floor consideration of the farm bill outlining algae ag research program priorities that demonstrated key bipartisan, bicameral support for the proposal.
• Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Michael Bennet led the charge on securing multiple provisions in support of Carbon Capture and Use 
• Lloyd Ritter and the Agriculture Energy Coalition did remarkable work to rally support and secure reauthorization and funding of Energy Title programs – and the Energy Title policy fixes outlined above – at a time when many speculated that the Energy Title had run its course. Thank you, Lloyd!

Many other congressional offices, ABO members, and other allies also played important roles in this historic effort. To one and all we offer our thanks. We look forward, as well, to working with USDA, Congress and the White House in implementing these transformative provisions.

 

The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy recently announced a dozen new topics for funding as part of the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research and development proposals. Algae R&D opportunities are featured in a number of the topics. 

The funding is part of DOE’s efforts to leverage the power of small business to spur innovation and economic growth. Over the past decade a number of algae companies have taken advantage of similar funding to commercialize new innovations in algae harvesting, product development and more. The results have driven down costs across the algae industry while providing new opportunities for employment, facility expansion and rural economic growth. 

ABO members interested in the new opportunities can learn more in the DOE announcement and the expanded listing of topics. 

Additional information on the DOE SBIR and STTR programs is also  available on the SBIR/STTR website.