The world of biomanufacturing is at a turning point. Global challenges like skyrocketing cocoa prices, egg shortages, and bans on synthetic dyes are exposing the vulnerabilities in traditional production systems. Amid these disruptions, biomanufacturing is emerging as a promising alternative—using microbial cells and biological systems to create sustainable products. Yet, despite its potential, scaling bioprocesses remains expensive and painfully slow.
A Munich-based startup, Differential Bio, is changing that narrative. Through its groundbreaking Virtual Scale-up Platform, the company blends microbiology, robotics, and artificial intelligence to accelerate and optimize biomanufacturing. By automating lab operations and running virtual simulations, Differential Bio eliminates bottlenecks, paving the way for faster, more scalable industrial production.
The startup recently secured €2 million in pre-seed funding and stepped out of stealth mode. Leading the round were Ananda Impact Ventures and ReGen Ventures, alongside Carbon13, Climate Capital, Better Ventures, CDTM Ventures, and several notable angel investors.
With this funding, Differential Bio is charging ahead. The team plans to expand its platform to handle complex bioprocesses like multi-strain systems and novel bio-products. They’re also scaling their self-driving lab, improving AI models with richer datasets, and hiring experts in bioinformatics, engineering, and automation. At the same time, the company is building strategic partnerships with clients in high-growth industries such as food, cosmetics, and specialty chemicals—all striving to cut costs and operate more sustainably.
Dong Zhao: The Scientific Force Driving Biomanufacturing Innovation
Founded in 2023 by Christian Spier, Martin Patz, and Dong Zhao, Differential Bio brings together a powerhouse of expertise spanning business, technology, and science. CEO Spier, with a bioinformatics background, previously scaled startups like Y42 and Dialogue. Meanwhile, CTO Patz boasts deep experience in AI and tech development from his time at Recogni.
The scientific heart of the team is co-founder and CSO Dong Zhao, a seasoned expert in fungi fermentation, high-throughput screening, and scalable bioprocessing. Before launching Differential Bio, she worked as a scientist at Mushlabs and co-founded Nosh.bio, a Berlin-based foodtech startup harnessing fungi biomass for functional food ingredients.
At Nosh.bio, Dong focused on sustainable processes to create nutritive proteins—experience that now powers Differential Bio’s mission. Her expertise in data-driven bioprocess optimization is central to the company’s ability to innovate at scale.
Revolutionizing Probiotic Production: A Case Study in Efficiency
One of Differential Bio’s standout successes lies in probiotic production. The team faced the tough task of shifting a microbial strain from an animal-based growth medium to a plant-based alternative—without sacrificing performance.
Using its Virtual Scale-up Platform, the startup not only made the switch but also quadrupled the biomass yield and cut production costs by 16%. This remarkable feat highlights the platform’s ability to overcome the classic “scale-up problem” that plagues biomanufacturing—where processes that work in the lab often fail at industrial scale.
By combining AI-driven simulations with lab automation, Differential Bio cracked the code for sustainable production without compromising efficiency. The achievement proves their technology can optimize complex systems while slashing costs—exactly what the industry needs.
Can Differential Bio Lead the Next Wave of Sustainable Production?
Experts believe the future of manufacturing is biological. Estimates suggest up to 60% of physical inputs across industries like food, cosmetics, and chemicals could be produced biologically. As global capacity for biomanufacturing is expected to grow 10-20 times in the coming decades, Differential Bio is well-positioned to lead this green revolution.
Their Virtual Scale-up Platform stands out for tackling the sector’s most pressing challenge: scaling. By simulating how lab-scale processes behave at an industrial level, the platform prevents costly failures during scale-up—saving time and millions in development costs.
Differential Bio’s CEO Christian Spier sums it up:
“Biomanufacturing holds the key to a regenerative future. But right now, scaling takes years and costs millions. Our platform changes that—empowering companies to bring bio-based products to market faster and cheaper.”
Co-founder Dong Zhao adds:
“This project proved sustainable biomanufacturing can deliver high performance while cutting costs. There’s no need to compromise.”
For Martin Patz, the vision is crystal clear:
“We aim to make biomanufacturing as scalable and seamless as modern software development. This funding gets us closer to building reusable infrastructure that drives value for our clients.”
Investors share the same excitement. Bernd Klosterkemper from Ananda Impact Ventures noted:
“The Differential team impressed us with their deep technical know-how and bold vision. Their tech can redefine biomanufacturing—enabling faster, more efficient scaling and supporting the global shift to a circular economy.”
Tom McQuillen from ReGen Ventures agrees:
“Biomanufacturing is facing a scaling crisis. By applying machine learning to rich datasets, Differential Bio can reduce both time and cost to commercialization. Their ambition is inspiring, and we’re proud to support their journey.”
Final Thoughts
Differential Bio is poised to become a driving force in sustainable biomanufacturing. With its AI-powered platform, the startup tackles the industry’s biggest hurdle—scaling—with unmatched precision and speed. By transforming how biological production scales from the lab to the factory, Differential Bio could unlock a new era of efficient, eco-friendly manufacturing across multiple industries.
