These three industries are primed for a bioindustrial revolution

The industrial application of biotechnology to produce a huge variety of products – ranging from food ingredients to speciality chemicals and advanced biomaterials – could accelerate the transition to a more resource-efficient, resilient global economy. It’s estimated that up to 60% of the physical inputs to the global economy could, in principle, be produced biologically, offering a transformative opportunity to reshape industrial production.

But, to realize the full potential of a bio-based economy, bioindustrial manufacturing must scale significantly. Bioproducts targeting mainstream applications, like fermented ingredients, still face challenges in achieving the unit economics necessary for widespread adoption. To bring down costs and increase output, major investments are needed to improve microbial fermentation processes, develop next-generation bioproduction technologies and build out regional biomanufacturing capacity.

In a world marked by supply chain shocks, trade disputes and global health threats, biomanufacturing is more than an economic opportunity – it’s a strategic imperative.

Governments around the world are increasingly recognizing this imperative. Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, China and India are ramping up national bioeconomy strategies that offer targeted support for domestic biomanufacturing. These include investments in R&D infrastructure, bioprocessing facilities, workforce development and regulatory streamlining. Such efforts aim to accelerate commercialization and to ensure that essential bioproducts can be reliably produced at home, buffering economies against international disruptions.

Traditional agricultural systems are deeply intertwined with global trade, making them vulnerable to both biological threats and geopolitical instability. The recent rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has affected over 169 million poultry worldwide, drove egg prices to record highs and exposed the fragility of supply chains. When coupled with trade disruptions, these effects can magnify into issues of national food security.

Biomanufacturing addresses this risk by enabling the domestic production of key food components like ovalbumin – the main protein in egg whites – using precision fermentation. Engineered microbes generate these proteins in bioreactors, offering a scalable, disease-resilient complement to traditional animal agriculture. This approach strengthens food security and provides a more stable foundation for food systems in the face of future disruptions.

Global chemical supply chains are exposed to geopolitical risk, largely due to the concentration of chemical production in a few key regions, including Germany, China and the Middle East. The reliance on cross-border transport to access critical materials heightens the risk of disruption, with the potential to impact entire manufacturing ecosystems. Biomanufacturing provides a compelling bio-solution: engineered microorganisms can be used to produce specialty chemicals at scale. This offers a path to domestic self-sufficiency in chemical manufacturing, reducing dependency on volatile international trade routes.

The demand for lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements is skyrocketing, driven by the clean energy transition and the expansion of electric vehicles, batteries and modern electronics. Yet, extraction and refining of these minerals is concentrated in a handful of countries, often under geopolitical risk. Through biomining – an advanced mineral recovery technique that uses engineered microbes to extract metals from low-grade ores or mining waste – countries can produce these critical minerals more efficiently than traditional methods. By investing in domestic biomining capacity, nations can diversify their mineral sourcing and insulate key industries from external shocks.

In conclusion, biomanufacturing is emerging as a cornerstone of the global economy at a time of increased focus on building more resilient and diversified supply chains. As nations double down on bioeconomy investments, a coordinated, international approach – bolstered by public-private collaboration – will be essential to harnessing biomanufacturing’s full potential and ensuring a resilient future for all.