Algae Investment Trends – Advanced Biofuels Insight
by Will Thurmond (Biofuels Digest) The global biofuels industry is entering a new decade of emerging opportunities and considerable challenges in reaching 2020 targets. The global economic recession is already shaking out many of the would-be players in a crowded algae space, and favoring new players with improved strategies. Why are some algae companies attracting capital, and scaling up their enterprises while others continue to peer into the “valley of death” from the laboratory to the pilot phase?
…(I)t is absolutely clear that for any algae producer or advanced biofuels company to receive investment, and grow out of the lab into a commercial enterprise, the practice of strategic due diligence across a range of domains is paramount to success. This requires dedicated research, development, collaboration and diversification to prepare for rapid, transitional changes in regulations, mandates, markets, technologies and subsidies.
…The companies that have successfully attracted capital and graduated from the lab into pilot and demonstration projects have four fundamental elements in common:
1) the production of advanced biodiesel, ethanol, and fungible drop-in fuels;
2) the ability to demonstrate proof of concept to investors beyond the lab/bench scale
3) most utilizing molecular biology or advanced systems engineering platforms and,
4) a diversified portfolio of fuels, advanced biodiesel and ethanol fuels, drop-in biofuels, biojet fuel, green chemicals, and biopolymers READ MORE
