String Bio, a Bengaluru-based company, has developed a platform for converting methane into various solutions such as biostimulants for crops, animal feed, and alternative protein for human consumption in order to reduce the release of the greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
String Bio, one of the world leaders in gas fermentation, has had a strong IP (intellectual property) protected platform called String Integrated Methane Platform since 2014, which enables the fermentation of high-quality ingredients from methane.
It is the only company in the world with a commercial solution for such a technology. This allows for the development of carbon-friendly products that use greenhouse gas as a raw material. Global competitors, on the other hand, use methane from natural gas in their process.
Biostimulant Products
According to Ezhil Subbian, Founder & CEO, String Biomethane conversion has aided String Bio in preparing a pipeline of products for various end markets, beginning with crop inputs for agriculture. ImpaKt TM is a peptide-based biostimulant, and CleanRise TM is a microbial-based biostimulant, both of which are used in sustainable food production.
"Both products are methane-derived, chemical-free natural biostimulants with a variety of effects on plant growth, including increased vegetative growth, improved root development, improved soil health, stress tolerance, and increased yield." "They address the growing need for increased agricultural productivity and lower greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
Carbon-Friendly
Impakt is made from methane through a patented fermentation process. "The use of powerful greenhouse gases in the production of crop inputs makes the products carbon friendly." The use of the products benefits the farmer, consumer, plant, and the environment. The use of Impakt has increased groundnut yield by 25% and tomato and marigold yield by 20-30%, according to String Bio's CEO.
These items are appropriate for both conventional and organic farming systems. The Bengaluru-based company has also developed a protein ingredient for animal nutrition - PROfit/PRO-DG - as well as a similar protein ingredient for human nutrition.
Attracting Attention
Those who have worked with String Bio have been astounded by its platform's ability to convert a gaseous material like methane into a solid material like protein via fermentation. According to her, the science behind the conversion has piqued the interest of people of all ages.
"When we first began discussing microbial protein, we had to educate our audience - we had a series of questions ranging from 'How is your protein different from paneer?' to 'Can you make sushi with this protein?'" The overall landscape has changed dramatically over the last five years. "The average urban customer is much more aware of alternative proteins and their impact today," said String Bio's co-founder and CEO.
