\u201cBioMADE\u00a0is a membership organization and a public-private partnership, originally\u00a0catalyzed\u00a0by the Department of\u00a0Defense\u00a0in October 2020 and fully launched in April 2021. As a membership organization, we have over 325 members from across the US, including large leading companies, such as Cargill, Lockheed Martin, and Black & Veatch, as well as start-ups, small businesses, nonprofits, and a variety of universities and community colleges. We were\u00a0established\u00a0to address national security concerns related to biomanufacturing and to accelerate its development within the US market. While we are particularly focused on the domestic market, we also engage with global companies,\u201d she begins.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Supporting technological innovation is at the heart of\u00a0BioMADE\u2019s\u00a0operations, though the company specializes in a specific level of innovation. The Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) are tools used for evaluating technology, ranging from one to nine, with lower numbers\u00a0indicating\u00a0discovery and initial proof of concept, and a score of nine\u00a0representing\u00a0full commercialization. \u201cThe area of innovation we focus on lies within the TRL range of four-to-seven. As an Institute, we were created to\u00a0assist\u00a0companies in transitioning from proof of concept to piloting and demonstration, thus enabling them to make commercial investments and be successful. We cover the space in between early stage and commercialization, which is sometimes called the Innovation Valley of Death. Usually, companies have enough resources to prove their ideas, but the difficulty lies in taking this promising concept from the laboratory to commercialization, a process that requires extensive piloting and tools,\u201d Jill enlightens.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To\u00a0facilitate\u00a0this transition,\u00a0BioMADE\u00a0is building a national network of pilot-and demonstration-scale\u00a0bioindustrial\u00a0manufacturing facilities across the US. Jill explains how these facilities will\u00a0benefit\u00a0the organization and its clients. \u201cSo far, we have announced three facilities: our flagship in Minnesota, another in California, and the latest in the state of Iowa. The reason behind the creation of this national network is that no single facility can have everything that each of our members need.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the California facility will serve as a hub for biotech and biomanufacturing, as it is surrounded by\u00a0numerous\u00a0startups, research institutions, and universities. Moreover, more than 60\u00a0BioMADE\u00a0member organizations\u00a0are\u00a0located\u00a0within an hour\u2019s drive. This facility will\u00a0represent\u00a0the first step toward pilot-scale production, featuring slightly smaller fermenters of 4000\u00a0liters. Its key focus will be on chemicals and materials, like lubricants, paints and coatings, and lightweight composite materials.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur Iowa facility will be the next scale up, equipped with\u00a05000 to 10,000\u00a0liter\u00a0fermenters. This facility will be food-grade, meaning we can make products like probiotics, prebiotics,\u00a0flavors, sweeteners, and nutritional supplements, as well as other agricultural products. We love Iowa\u2019s positioning; this facility is just a few miles away from Iowa State University and near facilities that convert corn into liquefied feedstocks. Consequently, we can easily\u00a0utilize\u00a0commercial feedstocks in Iowa. As we begin\u00a0operating\u00a0the\u00a010,000\u00a0liter\u00a0fermenters and progress through the piloting confirmation phases, we will be able to implement all the processes used within a commercial production facility, which is important for\u00a0demonstrating\u00a0the robustness of our techniques.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile,\u00a0BioMADE\u2019s\u00a0Minnesota facility will be its largest. \u201cWe have\u00a0purchased\u00a0a 120,000 square foot building, which we are\u00a0establishing\u00a0as our flagship In addition to the fermenters,\u00a0BioMADE\u00a0will integrate different technologies in its pilot-scale facilities, including downstream equipment designed to separate cells from the fermentation broth. After this step, the equipment will enable the concentration and further purification of the main products by removing various salts and byproducts from the fermentation process. The organization plans to begin with standard unit operations and equipment that\u00a0facilitate\u00a0the purification and concentration of the broth before considering the implementation of other equipment. Depending on the specific facility,\u00a0BioMADE\u00a0may incorporate crystallization and spray drying capabilities or collaborate with partners in the area who can provide\u00a0additional\u00a0unit operations. Given the complexities of starting a pilot facility,\u00a0BioMADE\u00a0will initially focus on the most ubiquitous and versatile pieces of equipment. As the organization starts to gain a clearer understanding of its operational needs, it can rent specialized equipment or partner with local companies that\u00a0possess\u00a0the necessary resources.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"BioMADE](\"https:\/\/manufacturing-today.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/12\/BioMADE-243-body-image-1.jpg\")
With a vision to address this infrastructure shortage and build a sustainable, domestic end-to-end\u00a0bioindustrial\u00a0manufacturing ecosystem, in 2020, the US Department of\u00a0Defense\u00a0created the\u00a0Bioindustrial\u00a0Manufacturing\u00a0And\u00a0Design Ecosystem, or\u00a0BioMADE, to develop technologies that enhance American competitiveness in the\u00a0bioindustrial\u00a0sector. The Institute\u2019s innovations are designed to mitigate investment risks in relevant infrastructure and expand the biomanufacturing workforce. Jill Zullo, Executive Vice President and COO, shares comprehensive insights into\u00a0BioMADE\u2019s\u00a0mission and the ongoing development of its pilot-scale\u00a0bioindustrial\u00a0manufacturing facilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"BioMADE](\"https:\/\/manufacturing-today.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/12\/BioMADE-243-body-image-2.jpg\")
demonstration facility. Although it will have some smaller fermenters, it will also include our largest fermenters, with a capacity of 25,000\u00a0liters. The facility will focus on chemicals and materials, such as anti-corrosive lubricants and high temperature-resistant composite\u00a0materials, and\u00a0will have explosion-proof capabilities. There, we will have the ability to produce fuels and ignition components, all products that might be needed in the wider bioeconomy. We are also mindful of our key investor and funder, the Department of\u00a0Defense, which has several projects of interest that require scaling up various technologies. Our Minnesota facility will be fully capable of producing what they need at a commercial level,\u201d Jill adds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n