LanzaTech's journey from gas fermentation developer to prospective sustainable aviation fuel producer

August 26, 2020 | Case Study

LanzaTech was founded in 2005 to commercialize a non-genetically modified Clostridium for the production of ethanol, 2,3-butanediol, and a variety of other chemicals. Since its founding, the company has raised nearly $300 million in funding from a wide range of investors, including traditional venture capital firms (Khosla Ventures, Spruce Capital Partners), energy players (Petronas, Indian Oil Corporation), chemical companies (BASF, Sekisui Chemical, Mitsui & Co.), government organizations (U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Aviation Administration), and financial institutions (Novo Holdings, China International Capital Corporation). This influx of capital from a diverse group of investors highlights the potential of LanzaTech's microbial syngas conversion platform for the production of multiple products. The company has already demonstrated its ability to produce ethanol at scale at its 16 MGY facility at the Jingtang Steel Mill with Shougang Group, but it is quickly gaining headlines and traction in the sustainable aviation fuel space.