Bühler Partners with Pow.Bio to Launch Integrated Continuous Precision Fermentation Platform

Credit: Bühler Group

Bühler Group and Pow.Bio have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating the commercialization of next-generation precision fermentation through an integrated continuous production platform. The partnership brings together Pow.Bio’s AI-enabled continuous fermentation technology with Bühler’s long-standing expertise in industrial engineering, process delivery, and global deployment, offering companies a faster, more efficient, and lower-risk pathway to scale industrial biomanufacturing.

Based in Alameda, United States, Pow.Bio is recognized as a pioneer in continuous fermentation systems designed to overcome the limitations of traditional batch and fed-batch processes. Bühler Group, headquartered in Uzwil, Switzerland, is a global solution provider with 165 years of experience serving the food, feed, and advanced materials industries. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to reshape how fermentation-derived products are developed and manufactured at commercial scale.

At the core of the collaboration is a fully integrated continuous precision fermentation platform that replaces conventional stop-and-start fermentation methods. Traditional batch or fed-batch systems require production to pause while tanks are emptied, cleaned, and prepared for the next run, leading to downtime, higher operating costs, and variability in output. In contrast, the Pow.Bio–Bühler solution enables a continuous, model-driven process designed to operate more efficiently and consistently over extended periods.

The joint offering integrates Pow.Bio’s proprietary continuous fermentation technology with Bühler’s engineering capabilities, including system design, delivery, installation, and commissioning. This is further supported by advanced model-driven control software, allowing customers to achieve predictable performance and a direct, scalable route from laboratory development to pilot and full industrial production. According to the companies, this approach significantly reduces unit production costs while improving overall operational performance.

The platform is targeted at companies commercializing fermentation-derived products that are currently produced using fed-batch systems but face challenges related to cost, scalability, or inconsistent output. Applications span a broad range of products, from established categories such as enzymes and organic acids to emerging segments including functional proteins, specialty lipids, and bioactive compounds. By transitioning these products to a continuous fermentation model, producers can achieve higher productivity, improved consistency, and more cost-effective manufacturing.

Shannon Hall, CEO and co-founder of Pow.Bio, described the collaboration as a milestone for industrial biotechnology. He emphasized that the partnership is not only about accelerating production timelines, but also about building smarter and more robust systems for long-term value creation. With Bühler’s global deployment expertise combined with Pow.Bio’s proven technology, customers are offered a lower-risk pathway to commercial-scale production with unprecedented efficiency. Hall noted that the partnership strengthens Pow.Bio’s position at the forefront of industrial biomanufacturing while enabling clients to unlock enduring value.

From Bühler’s perspective, the collaboration aligns closely with its focus on applied, scalable innovation. Precision fermentation is increasingly seen as a transformative technology across food, feed, and specialty ingredient markets. Companies are already using fermentation to produce alternatives to dairy, meat, and eggs, as well as alternative oils, fats, and novel pet food products. According to Thierry Duvanel, Bühler’s North American Director of Innovation, the industry is still at an early stage in realizing the full potential of precision fermentation. By joining forces with Pow.Bio, Bühler aims to directly address one of the sector’s most persistent challenges: reducing unit production costs while maintaining reliability and scalability.

A key advantage of the integrated platform is its ability to offer a low-risk, established pathway from lab-scale development to industrial production. Continuous, model-driven systems allow for tighter process control, higher productivity, and improved reproducibility compared to traditional fed-batch methods. This consistency is particularly critical for companies seeking to commercialize high-value fermentation-derived products, where variability can significantly impact cost structures and market viability.

The partnership builds on prior collaboration between the two companies, including Pow.Bio’s successful 3,000-liter scale-up with ATV Technologies, achieved with Bühler’s support. This milestone demonstrated the technical feasibility and scalability of Pow.Bio’s continuous fermentation approach in an industrial context. With the technology now validated and the full system integrated, the companies report that they are ready to begin onboarding customers.

Adham Rizk, Sales and Commercial Manager at Bühler Group, highlighted that the joint solution is designed to give companies greater confidence as they move from development to commercialization. Scale-up has long been a bottleneck in industrial biotechnology, often requiring significant capital investment and carrying high technical risk. By offering a proven, integrated system backed by Bühler’s experience in service, delivery, and reliability, the partnership aims to remove many of these barriers.

As Pow.Bio and Bühler move forward with customer onboarding, the collaboration signals a broader shift toward continuous, data-driven manufacturing in the precision fermentation sector. By combining advanced fermentation technology with industrial-scale engineering and global support, the two companies are positioning their joint platform as a catalyst for more efficient, scalable, and commercially viable biomanufacturing.