A Bengaluru biotechnology company is developing an unusual manufacturing system in which methane is treated as a raw material rather than merely as a fuel or greenhouse-gas emission.
String Bio uses gas fermentation, synthetic biology, chemistry and process engineering to convert methane-containing gaseous feedstocks into protein-rich ingredients, crop inputs, functional molecules and other value-added products. Its proprietary String Integrated Methane Platform, or SIMP, is designed to build low-carbon manufacturing chains in which microorganisms perform part of the industrial conversion normally achieved through conventional agriculture or petrochemistry.
The company’s work represents an important branch of India’s emerging bioeconomy. Instead of depending entirely on farmland, fisheries or conventional chemical feedstocks, String Bio is exploring how biological manufacturing can produce useful materials inside controlled fermentation facilities.
Its larger ambition is to turn greenhouse-gas carbon into products required by agriculture, animal nutrition, food, personal care and other industries.
An Indian Gas-Fermentation Platform
String Bio was co-founded by Dr Ezhil Subbian, who serves as chief executive officer, and Vinod M.L. Kumar, the company’s managing director.
Dr Subbian brings extensive experience in biotechnology and bio-based product development, while Kumar’s background includes product development, manufacturing operations, supply-chain management and commercialisation. Their complementary scientific and industrial experience has shaped String Bio as both a biotechnology research company and a manufacturing platform developer.
The company works at the intersection of four disciplines:
- Biology and microbial engineering
- Gas-fermentation technology
- Chemical separation and purification
- Industrial process engineering
String Bio states that it has advanced its technology from laboratory development through demonstration and pilot stages to commercial-scale manufacturing. Its products are supported by an intellectual-property portfolio covering fermentation, microbial conversion and the purification of products made from gaseous substrates.
How Methane Can Become Protein
The idea of converting methane into protein initially appears counterintuitive. Methane is a simple gas consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, while proteins are complex biological molecules constructed from amino acids.
The conversion becomes possible through specialised microorganisms known as methanotrophs. These microbes can use methane as a source of carbon and energy.
Inside a controlled fermentation system, methane, oxygen and other nutrients are supplied to the microbial culture. The microorganisms metabolise the gas and multiply, converting gaseous carbon into cellular biomass and other biological compounds.
The resulting material can then be harvested and processed. Depending on the organism, operating conditions and downstream treatment, the output may be developed into protein-rich biomass, peptides, organic acids, agricultural ingredients or other functional molecules.
String Bio’s patents cover processes for producing and purifying value-added materials from gaseous substrates. The company has also pursued intellectual property involving methanotrophic microorganisms capable of converting methane or biogas into organic acids such as lactic and succinic acid.
The technology therefore extends beyond a single protein product. SIMP is intended to operate as a broader biomanufacturing platform through which different biological and chemical outputs can be developed from greenhouse-gas-derived carbon.
Gas Fermentation Versus Conventional Fermentation
Traditional industrial fermentation usually feeds microorganisms with sugar, starch, molasses or another plant-derived carbohydrate.
Gas fermentation follows a different route. Its primary carbon feedstock is introduced as a gas. This creates distinct engineering challenges because gases must be transferred efficiently into a liquid fermentation medium where microorganisms can access them.
The design of the bioreactor must control:
- Gas transfer and mixing
- Temperature and pressure
- Oxygen availability
- Microbial growth conditions
- Contamination and sterility
- Product recovery
- Safe handling of combustible gases
A successful platform therefore requires more than identifying a methane-consuming organism. It also requires specialised reactor design, biological optimisation, process controls and economical downstream processing.
String Bio describes its platform as combining biology with engineering and purification chemistry so that products can be manufactured with consistent quality and at commercially relevant scales.
PRO-DG: Methane-Derived Protein for Animal Nutrition
One of String Bio’s principal areas of development is animal nutrition.
The global feed industry depends heavily on soybean meal, fishmeal and other conventional protein sources. Soy production requires large areas of cultivable land, while fishmeal production can place pressure on marine resources.
String Bio’s PRO-DG has been developed as a protein-rich feed ingredient produced through fermentation. According to the company, it contains more than 70% crude protein, has a favourable amino-acid profile, is low in fat and provides minerals required in animal diets.
Because the ingredient is produced inside a controlled manufacturing process, its composition can potentially remain more consistent than agricultural raw materials affected by season, rainfall, soil conditions, disease and harvest quality.
The controlled process is also intended to reduce exposure to contaminants associated with some conventional feed materials, including pesticide residues, mycotoxins and anti-nutritional compounds. These performance and safety characteristics remain subject to product testing, regulatory evaluation and approval requirements in each intended market.
String Bio identifies aquaculture, poultry, swine and pet nutrition among the potential sectors for its animal-nutrition ingredients.
PROmeium and Functional Animal Health
String Bio is also developing PROmeium, which it describes as an immunomodulatory ingredient intended to improve stress tolerance and support animal health.
This reflects an important evolution in the feed industry. Feed ingredients are increasingly expected to provide functions beyond basic calories and protein. Manufacturers are seeking ingredients capable of supporting digestion, immune response, growth performance and resilience to environmental stress.
Gas fermentation could allow String Bio to produce protein fractions and biological compounds with targeted functional characteristics. The commercial value of such products would depend on their performance in controlled trials, regulatory clearances, production economics and their ability to deliver measurable benefits over established ingredients.
Reducing Dependence on Fishmeal and Soy
Alternative feed proteins are particularly important for aquaculture.
Fishmeal is nutritionally valuable, but its availability is linked to marine fisheries and fish-processing supply chains. Soy protein is more widely available but carries concerns relating to land use, fluctuating prices, transport costs and the presence of anti-nutritional compounds in certain formulations.
A methane-derived microbial protein could provide a third pathway. It can be manufactured throughout the year and does not require the cultivation and harvesting cycle associated with conventional crops.
This does not mean that fermented protein will immediately replace soymeal or fishmeal. Feed formulations are carefully balanced according to species, life stage, digestibility, amino-acid requirements, cost and local regulations.
The more realistic near-term role for products such as PRO-DG is as a specialised ingredient that can partially replace conventional proteins while contributing specific nutritional or functional benefits.
Agricultural Inputs Made Through Fermentation
String Bio’s technology also extends into crop agriculture.
Its agricultural portfolio includes CleanRise, a biological crop stimulant designed to promote vegetative development, and Impakt, a protein-based input intended to support plant metabolism, photosynthesis, crop growth and yield.
Unlike conventional fertilisers, biostimulants generally work by influencing plant processes, microbial activity or nutrient-use efficiency rather than simply supplying large quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium.
String Bio’s agricultural ingredients are derived from its fermentation and biological-processing capabilities. The company says they are designed to help crops use available resources more efficiently, withstand stress and improve productivity or produce quality.
Through its String Ag platform, the company reports more than six years of trial data involving over 50 crops across more than 15 Indian states. It also states that its products have been introduced or evaluated in more than ten countries and that parts of the portfolio carry organic certifications for multiple markets.
These company-reported figures indicate that String Bio has moved beyond laboratory research and is building field-level validation and agricultural distribution capabilities.
CleanRise
CleanRise is positioned as a microbial or biologically active crop input that supports vegetative growth and helps crops approach their yield potential.
The product can be relevant during growth stages when plants are establishing roots, leaves and productive tillers. String Bio has showcased its use in crops including paddy, where stronger vegetative development and tiller formation can influence the number of grain-bearing panicles.
Its value will ultimately depend on consistent results across crop varieties, soils, climatic conditions and agricultural practices. Biological crop inputs frequently perform differently under different field conditions, making multi-location and multi-season evaluation essential.
Impakt
Impakt is described as a protein-based plant solution that influences cellular metabolism and signalling.
The company associates its use with improved photosynthetic activity, crop development, flowering, yield and produce quality. String Bio has conducted demonstrations involving horticultural, plantation, cereal, fruit and floriculture crops.
The development of protein and peptide-based crop inputs is a significant area within modern agricultural biotechnology. Such molecules can act as biological signals, stimulate plant responses or improve the efficiency with which plants use nutrients and manage stress.
For Indian farmers, adoption will depend on the additional yield or quality obtained relative to the cost of the product. String Bio’s field-extension model, which includes demonstrations, farmer meetings and agronomic guidance, is therefore important for converting laboratory science into practical agricultural outcomes.
Human-Nutrition Ingredients
String Bio is also examining fermented proteins for human food and nutrition.
The company describes its human-nutrition pipeline as producing low-fat, high-protein ingredients containing essential amino acids. Potential applications identified by the company include snacks, baked products, nutritional supplements, meat alternatives and other formulated foods.
Fermentation-derived food proteins could reduce dependence on agricultural land and water while providing a traceable manufacturing process. However, human-food applications generally face more extensive requirements relating to safety, allergenicity, digestibility, taste, texture, regulatory approval and consumer acceptance.
String Bio’s human-nutrition work should therefore be viewed as an expanding platform opportunity whose commercial development will depend on product-specific approvals and partnerships with food manufacturers.
Personal Care, Chemicals and Packaging
The company’s platform also has possible applications outside food and agriculture.
String Bio has identified functional peptides and chemical molecules for personal-care formulations. It is also researching organic acids and alkanoates that could serve as building blocks for polymers and biodegradable packaging materials.
This demonstrates why the company describes SIMP as a manufacturing platform rather than only a methane-to-protein process.
Once methane-derived carbon has been incorporated into microbial cells or fermentation intermediates, biological and chemical processing can potentially direct it into multiple product categories.
A single gas-fermentation platform could therefore support:
- Feed proteins
- Food ingredients
- Agricultural biostimulants
- Functional peptides
- Organic acids
- Personal-care ingredients
- Polymer precursors
The ability to manufacture several outputs could improve the commercial viability of the platform by allowing different fractions of the fermentation stream to be used for higher-value products.
Commercial-Scale Manufacturing Near Bengaluru
String Bio says its agricultural and biological products are manufactured at a gas-fermentation facility near Bengaluru.
The facility covers approximately 220,000 square feet and is described by the company as the first Indian production installation of its kind. It combines fermentation, biological processing and manufacturing capabilities for products derived from greenhouse-gas feedstocks.
This is particularly significant because scaling biotechnology from a laboratory vessel to an industrial plant is one of the most difficult stages of commercialisation.
Processes that perform well at small scale may behave differently in large reactors because of changes in gas transfer, mixing, heat generation, pressure, contamination risk and product recovery.
By moving from laboratory development to a commercial-scale facility, String Bio is attempting to cross the gap between scientific proof and repeatable industrial production.
An Intellectual-Property-Led Indian Company
String Bio’s intellectual-property portfolio is another important element of its Make in India significance.
Patent records identify String Bio as the assignee of inventions involving fermentation and purification of products from gaseous substrates. The company has also obtained patents involving recombinant methanotrophic bacteria and the production of organic acids from methane, biogas or organic-waste-derived gases.
This means the company’s value lies in more than constructing fermentation vessels. Its technology includes the microorganisms, process conditions, reactor operations and downstream methods required to transform gaseous carbon into commercially usable material.
Such intellectual property can allow an Indian company to participate in global biotechnology markets as a technology owner rather than merely as a contract manufacturer.
Why the Technology Matters for India
String Bio’s work has strategic relevance for several Indian industries.
Protein Security
India’s poultry, aquaculture, dairy and pet-food sectors require reliable sources of protein. Fermentation-derived ingredients could broaden the domestic feed-protein base and reduce exposure to fluctuations in agricultural commodities and imported specialised ingredients.
Agricultural Productivity
Biological crop inputs can complement conventional fertilisers and crop-protection products. When supported by reliable field evidence, they can help farmers improve nutrient-use efficiency, manage stress and obtain greater value from existing land.
Indigenous Biotechnology
The company demonstrates that advanced synthetic biology, microbial engineering and gas fermentation can be developed and industrialised within India.
Carbon Utilisation
Methane-rich gas streams may come from biogas plants, waste-treatment systems and industrial operations. Technologies capable of converting this carbon into useful materials could eventually support circular manufacturing models.
Actual climate benefits will depend on the methane source, energy used by the plant, conversion efficiency and the life-cycle footprint of the final product.
Localised Manufacturing
Gas fermentation does not depend on fertile soil or seasonal harvesting. Plants could theoretically be located close to gas sources, industrial users or agricultural markets, reducing parts of the conventional raw-material supply chain.
Converting a Climate Liability into an Industrial Resource
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere. Capturing it and converting its carbon into durable or useful products could create value while preventing emissions.
However, methane utilisation must be evaluated carefully. Using newly extracted fossil natural gas does not produce the same climate outcome as capturing methane that would otherwise escape from a landfill, wastewater facility, agricultural operation or biogas system.
The electricity and heat required to operate fermenters, gas compressors and downstream equipment also influence the final carbon footprint.
String Bio’s central technical contribution is the creation of a platform capable of using gaseous carbon. The environmental value of each commercial project will depend on how that platform is deployed and the origin of the gas and energy used.
A New Model of Indian Biomanufacturing
String Bio represents a new generation of Indian companies combining climate technology with advanced manufacturing.
Its platform begins with a gas generally treated as a waste, emission or low-value fuel. Through microbial fermentation and process engineering, that gas is converted into biological material capable of serving agriculture, animal nutrition, food and industry.
The company’s most important achievement may therefore extend beyond any individual product.
String Bio is building an Indian capability in gas-based biomanufacturing—a field that could become increasingly important as industries seek new sources of protein, chemicals and agricultural inputs with lower demands on land and water.
Its methane-derived proteins could complement conventional feed ingredients. Its crop inputs could support more productive and climate-resilient agriculture. Its platform could eventually enable organic acids, peptides, food ingredients and materials to be manufactured through biological carbon conversion.
By developing proprietary microorganisms, processes, products and commercial-scale infrastructure in India, String Bio demonstrates how deep science can be converted into a domestic industrial platform.
It is a Make in India story rooted not only in manufacturing a finished product, but in owning the fundamental technology that makes an entirely new form of manufacturing possible.
References
1. String Bio – Official Website
Company platform, technology, products and commercial-scale development
https://www.stringbio.com/
2. String Bio – About the Company
Corporate mission, technology focus and impact areas
https://www.stringbio.com/About-StringBio.html
3. String Bio – Leadership
Profiles of Dr Ezhil Subbian, Vinod M.L. Kumar and the executive team
https://stringbio.com/leadership.html
4. String Bio – Animal Nutrition
PRO-DG, PROmeium and methane-derived protein ingredients
https://www.stringbio.com/animal-nutrition.html
5. String Bio – Agriculture
CleanRise, Impakt and methane-derived agricultural inputs
https://www.stringbio.com/Agriculture.html
6. String Bio – Human Nutrition
Fermented protein and protein-based food ingredients
https://www.stringbio.com/human-Nutrition.html
7. String Ag – Official Platform
Crop solutions, trials, certifications and agricultural presence
https://ag.stringbio.com/
8. String Ag – About and Manufacturing Facility
SIMP platform and 220,000-square-foot gas-fermentation facility near Bengaluru
https://ag.stringbio.com/about/
9. Google Patents – Processes for Fermentation and Purification of Value-Added Products from Gaseous Substrates
US Patent 10,883,121, assigned to String Bio Private Limited
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10883121B2/en
10. Google Patents – Production of Succinic Acid from Methane or Biogas
US Patent 10,570,424, assigned to String Bio Private Limited
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10570424B2/en
11. Google Patents – Production of Lactic Acid from Methane or Biogas
US Patent 10,190,101, assigned to String Bio Private Limited
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10190101B2/en
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