Cascade Bio, a U.S.-based industrial biotech company, has raised $6 million to speed up the shift to biomanufacturing. The funding includes a $2.8 million seed round led by Endurance28. Participants also include Stray Dog Capital, 1Flourish, Range Ventures, 10VC, and Amplify.
Additionally, Cascade received $3.2 million in nondilutive funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This support comes through the NSF CFIRE initiative and an SBIR Phase II award.
With this investment, Cascade plans to expand its biocatalyst offerings. The company develops enzymes that are more cost-effective and durable. These enzymes help industrial partners produce biobased chemicals more efficiently.
Cascade’s technology improves enzyme stability in tough industrial conditions. So far, they have worked on over 30 enzymes and have successfully enhanced stability for over 20 paying customers. Early collaborations include major companies in chemicals, flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and pharmaceuticals. These partners aim to incorporate more biology into their manufacturing processes.
The biomanufacturing sector aims to transform molecule production. However, high costs and scale challenges have slowed progress. Traditional reliance on microbes introduces complexity. Cascade’s approach removes enzymes from cells and stabilizes them as catalysts. This makes biomanufacturing faster, cheaper, and more sustainable—mimicking how nature operates.
The company’s founders, Alex Rosay and James Weltz, bring backgrounds in chemical engineering and industry experience. They have built on lessons from Zymergen, Stanford, and CU Boulder.
Rosay explained, “Our early collaborations show the potential. We have enzymes that last months instead of hours. This order-of-magnitude improvement will reduce costs and make biocatalysis easier to use.”
Jared Campbell from Endurance28 said, “Alex and James are ideal partners. They combine deep science with rapid innovation. We’re excited to support their vision of cell-free biocatalysis—making chemicals faster, cleaner, and more sustainable.”
