Venture backed biofuel startup LS9 is not shutting down, despite a report, but has changed up its CEO and restructured in the fourth quarter of 2012. It’s a difficult time for biofuel companies, given some VCs have been slowing backing out of greentech investing. Read more »
Grab your biofuel startups fast, Lux Research says — the field of contenders with game-changing technologies for turning non-food feedstocks into useful hydrocarbons is getting sparser by the minute. The report sees Big Oil and consumer products conglomerates quickly winnowing the field of the best technologies. Read more »
Biofuel and biochemical startup LS9, which is using a genetically modified version of e.coli bacteria to make diesel, has closed a round of $30 million led by the investors at BlackRock, and also including the company’s existing investors Khosla Ventures, Flagship Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures. Read more »
Joule Unlimited, a startup that promises to genetically engineer an organism that eats CO2 and produces a drop-in diesel fuel, has landed a patent on its “recombinant biosynthesis” technology. Read more »
Aurora Biofuels announced Monday that it has changed its name to Aurora Algae, in hopes of finding commercial markets today in turning algae into nutrients and protein products. It’s not exactly a vote of confidence for the idea of turning algae into biofuel. Read more »
Dutch oil giant Shell and Brazilian ethanol giant Cosan sealed the deal Wednesday on a $12 billion joint venture to turn sugarcane into pump-ready fuel. How will the massive partnership affect Codexis, Shell’s biocatalyst partner and recent entrant to the public markets? Read more »
The well-funded Range Fuels said it has begun producing cellulosic methanol from its first commercial factory and plans to begin making cellulosic ethanol sometime this quarter. Read more »
