Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE:DNA), often referred to simply as Ginkgo, is a synthetic biology company that designs custom microbes for customers across a broad range of industries. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Ginkgo leverages automation, proprietary software and high-throughput biology to engineer cells at scale. The company’s platform enables the rapid development of novel organisms with applications spanning pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food and beverage, specialty chemicals and consumer products.
Central to Ginkgo’s offering is its automated “biological foundry,” which combines robotics, data analytics and machine learning to accelerate the design-build-test cycle for living organisms. Clients work with Ginkgo to identify desired traits—such as improved yield, novel flavors or sustainable production pathways—and the company then programs microbes or other cell lines to deliver those traits. Ginkgo also provides downstream services including scale-up, process development and quality control, supporting customers as they move engineered organisms from the laboratory to commercial production.
In addition to its Boston headquarters, Ginkgo serves a global customer base through partnerships and facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. The company has collaborated with major life-science, agricultural and consumer goods firms to advance projects in areas such as biodegradable materials, precision fermentation and crop protection. Co-founded by Jason Kelly, Reshma Shetty, Barry Canton, Tom Knight and Austin Che, Ginkgo’s executive team brings together leaders in synthetic biology, engineering and business development to guide its growth and innovation strategy.
