2026

2026

The 2026 AB4S report on translating biotechnology's trillion-dollar potential into commercial reality

The 2026 AB4S report on translating biotechnology's trillion-dollar potential into commercial reality

The 2026 AB4S report. Sign up and get notified when the report is available.

Overview

Overview

Overview

The second Advanced Biotechnology for Sustainability report translates a $1.1 trillion market opportunity into a concrete action plan, pinpointing four molecule families — terpenes, peptides, non-catalytic proteins, and hydroxy acids — as the fastest routes to industrial-scale biobased production. It provides a prioritization framework to help organizations identify where to invest, collaborate, and scale, and sets out a bold, unified call to move advanced biotechnology from promise to commercial reality.

The second Advanced Biotechnology for Sustainability report translates a $1.1 trillion market opportunity into a concrete action plan, pinpointing four molecule families — terpenes, peptides, non-catalytic proteins, and hydroxy acids — as the fastest routes to industrial-scale biobased production. It provides a prioritization framework to help organizations identify where to invest, collaborate, and scale, and sets out a bold, unified call to move advanced biotechnology from promise to commercial reality.

The second Advanced Biotechnology for Sustainability report translates a $1.1 trillion market opportunity into a concrete action plan, pinpointing four molecule families — terpenes, peptides, non-catalytic proteins, and hydroxy acids — as the fastest routes to industrial-scale biobased production. It provides a prioritization framework to help organizations identify where to invest, collaborate, and scale, and sets out a bold, unified call to move advanced biotechnology from promise to commercial reality.

Contents

Contents

Contents

IV

IV

IV

Preface

Preface

Preface

VII

VII

VII

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

01

01

01

Executive summary

Executive summary

Executive summary

09

09

09

From infrastructure to molecules

From infrastructure to molecules

From infrastructure to molecules

14

14

14

Molecules at a glance

Molecules at a glance

Molecules at a glance

17

17

17

Priority molecule groups

Priority molecule groups

Priority molecule groups

20

20

20

Terpenes

Terpenes

Terpenes

25

25

25

Peptides

Peptides

Peptides

30

30

30

Non-catalytic proteins

Non-catalytic proteins

Non-catalytic proteins

35

35

35

Hydrox acids

Hydrox acids

Hydrox acids

41

41

41

Enabling conditions for scale

Enabling conditions for scale

Enabling conditions for scale

47

47

47

The path forward

The path forward

The path forward

53

53

53

The world these molecules build

The world these molecules build

The world these molecules build

Authors

Authors

Authors

Neil Renninger

Lead Author

Neil Renninger

Lead Author

Massimo Portincaso

Arsenale Bioyards

Massimo Portincaso

Arsenale Bioyards

Paul Hill

Arsenale Bioyards

Paul Hill

Arsenale Bioyards

Paul Hill

Arsenale Bioyards

Olivier Rolland

L'Oréal

Olivier Rolland

L'Oréal

Olivier Rolland

L'Oréal

Fabien Deswarte

L'Oréal

Fabien Deswarte

L'Oréal

Fabien Deswarte

L'Oréal

Christoph Kobler

Evonik

Christoph Kobler

Evonik

Christoph Kobler

Evonik

Stefan Pelzer

Evonik

Stefan Pelzer

Evonik

Stefan Pelzer

Evonik

Eva Wilke

BASF

Eva Wilke

BASF

Eva Wilke

BASF

Danielle Cusumano

Lallemand

Danielle Cusumano

Lallemand

Danielle Cusumano

Lallemand

Majdi Najah

Lallemand

Majdi Najah

Lallemand

Majdi Najah

Lallemand

Ildar Nisamedtinov

Lallemand

Ildar Nisamedtinov

Lallemand

Ildar Nisamedtinov

Lallemand

Kevin Wenger

Lallemand

Kevin Wenger

Lallemand

Kevin Wenger

Lallemand

Katherine Foster

EIT Food

Katherine Foster

EIT Food

Katherine Foster

EIT Food

Lorena Savani

EIT Food

Lorena Savani

EIT Food

Lorena Savani

EIT Food

Emanuele Monza

Cradle

Emanuele Monza

Cradle

Emanuele Monza

Cradle

Luba Protopopova

Cradle

Luba Protopopova

Cradle

Luba Protopopova

Cradle

Katy Svennas

Cradle

Katy Svennas

Cradle

Katy Svennas

Cradle

Stef van Grieken

Cradle

Stef van Grieken

Cradle

Stef van Grieken

Cradle

Jarred Yacob

Cradle

Jarred Yacob

Cradle

Anna Littmann

McKinsey & Company

Anna Littmann

McKinsey & Company

Anna Littmann

McKinsey & Company

Mark Patel

McKinsey & Company

Mark Patel

McKinsey & Company

Mark Patel

McKinsey & Company

Pol van der Pluijm

McKinsey & Company

Pol van der Pluijm

McKinsey & Company

Pol van der Pluijm

McKinsey & Company

Kevin Ren

McKinsey & Company

Kevin Ren

McKinsey & Company

Anna Stepien

McKinsey & Company

Anna Stepien

McKinsey & Company

Anna Stepien

McKinsey & Company

Tom Brennan

McKinsey & Company

Tom Brennan

McKinsey & Company