Rubi, a company focused on creating manufacturing processes that are symbiotic with the planet, has been awarded a $969,961 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This grant will support the development and scaling of Rubi's innovative carbon-to-cellulose platform.
Advancing Sustainable Manufacturing
The NSF grant, awarded to less than 5% of SBIR applicants, recognizes Rubi's advancements in CO2-to-materials technology. The funding will help the company commercialize its technology, which focuses on converting carbon dioxide into valuable materials and chemicals. Rubi's initial focus is on CO2-derived cellulose as a replacement for traditional wood pulp, with the goal of decarbonizing textile production by reducing deforestation and minimizing the environmental impact of raw material manufacturing.
Cell-Free Biocatalysis Technology
Rubi has pioneered a cell-free biocatalysis technology that enables the creation of CO2-derived materials. This proprietary technology uses a cascade of specialized enzymes to transform simple 1-carbon molecules into complex carbohydrate polymers like cellulose under mild conditions. According to Rubi, their enzymatic platform can achieve a 10x reduction in capital costs and 3x higher yields than fermentation, while also using significantly less energy than chemical catalysis. This approach also expands the range of attainable products.
Dr. Leila Mashouf, M.D., Co-Founder and CTO of Rubi, stated, "Rubi's cell-free biocatalysis approach is a paradigm shift in manufacturing, providing a sustainable and efficient solution to produce CO2-derived materials without exploiting natural resources... We're thrilled to have the continued support of the NSF with this Phase II award and look forward to scaling our technology to meet the growing global demand for ultra-low-carbon, bio-based materials."
Milestones and Partnerships
The Phase II award builds upon Rubi's successful Phase I grant completion in 2023, which advanced multi-enzyme cascade design and enzyme stabilization for carbon-to-cellulose production. Since then, Rubi has achieved several milestones, including:
- An $8.7 million seed funding round, co-led by H&M Group and Patagonia.
- Strategic pilot partnerships with global fashion brands H&M, Patagonia, Reformation, GANNI, and Nuuly.
- A series of pilot projects in collaboration with Walmart.
- Debuting the world's first yarn made from CO2 through a fully enzymatic process with Ganni.
Impact and Future Directions
Neeka Mashouf, Co-Founder and CEO of Rubi, commented, "This award is a testament to Rubi's vision for a symbiotic manufacturing future and our ambition to lead the next era of sustainable industry... As we move into 2025, this grant will accelerate our efforts to scale CO2-derived, low-carbon cellulose for the textile industry, ultimately allowing us to transform environmental challenges into opportunities, bridge our proven science with existing supply chains, and set a new standard for decoupling industrial growth from environmental degradation."
