C16 Biosciences

C16 Biosciences uses yeast and agriculturally derived feedstocks to brew alternative oils, selling a beauty‑grade product called Palmless. The startup is Y Combinator‑backed and led by co‑founder and CEO Shara Ticku. With new funding it plans to develop oil recipes for food that use waste‑stream feedstocks and non‑agriculturally derived inputs, potentially including feedstocks derived from carbon capture. The company has previously raised $36.3 million in equity funding and $2 million in grant funding via the Department of Energy and Agile BioFoundry. Prior investors include Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy and DCVC. The new capital will support product development aimed at reducing deforestation linked to palm oil production. C16 Biosciences uses microbial fermentation of food waste to produce a synthetic palm oil alternative. The company positions its product as a way to avoid the environmental and societal costs linked to traditional palm oil production, including rainforest destruction and carbon emissions. The articles note that palm oil is pervasive in consumer goods and that deforestation for palm oil plantations contributes to global warming. C16 frames an urgent need for consumers and companies to switch to environmentally conscious palm oil products and states, “We’re building that solution.” The company emphasizes addressing the large palm oil market, which the article values at $61 billion and says supplies more than 90% of uses in food, cosmetics, detergents, and candles.