Polybion
Americas
Irapuato
,
Mexico
Scaleup
FOUNDED
2015
HEADCOUNT
2-20
FUNDING
Series A
Keywords:
fermentation, bacteria, waste_valorization, cosmetics
BUSINESS
Founded in 2015 in Irapuato, Mexico (with a second base in Madrid, Spain), Polybion produces Celium, a cultivated bacterial cellulose biomaterial grown by feeding bacteria agro-industrial fruit waste, positioned as a leather alternative for fashion, sportswear, and automotive applications. The solar-powered manufacturing facility in central Mexico has a maximum capacity of 1.1 million square feet per year, and Celium launched globally in May 2024.
BIOTECH INVOLVEMENT
Bacterial cellulose fermentation using fruit waste sugars as feedstock is the entire basis of the business, covering strain selection, fermentation process development, downstream sheet harvesting, and post-processing for finished biomaterial. Specific organism platforms are not publicly disclosed.
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
bacterial fermentation; cellulose biosynthesis
PRIMARY PRODUCTS
Celium bacterial cellulose leather