BioMADE, the DoD-Funded Institute, Plans $40 Million Bioindustrial Plant Near Ames, Iowa

Today, BioMADE, the Dept. of Defense-funded Manufacturing Innovation Institute, announced the expansion of its national pilot plant network with a new $40 million bioindustrial manufacturing facility near Ames, Iowa — its third major site alongside ones in Minnesota and California.

The new plant, set to open in 2028, will accelerate scale-up for agricultural bioproducts, chemicals and food, while strengthening domestic supply chains and rural economies – as is the mission and mandate for this public-private partnership.

The organization’s goal is to make the U.S. a global leader in biomanufacturing, in the process securing domestic supply chains for needed products with defense and commercial applications and boosting rural economic development.

The 15,000-sq.-ft. multi-user facility will include up to 10,000-liter industrial fermenters, dry and wet lab space and downstream processing capabilities. The facility is backed by the Dept. of Defense, Iowa State University and the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

BioMADE (stands for Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem) has committed at least $20 million, which will be matched by up to $10 million in cost-share contributions from the university and $10 million in funding from the state’s economic development authority.

“The bioindustrial manufacturing industry in the U.S. currently faces a scale-up challenge due to a critical lack of pilot- to demonstration-scale infrastructure,” BioMADE said. “As a result, American companies often have to seek relevant facilities overseas, taking American innovation with them and risking IP [intellectual property] loss.” BioMADE facilities like this one and its two predecessors are addressing that gap.

Bioindustrial manufacturing leverages domestically grown crops like corn and soybeans to produce products Americans use every day. By harnessing the power of biology, American companies can create or improve needed defense materials like lightweight composite materials, anti-corrosive lubricants, energetics and energetic precursors, fuels, high temperature-resistant foams and thermal protection systems, and more. In addition to providing key defense capabilities, bioindustrial manufacturing secures consumer supply chains for products like plant-based fabrics, detergents, paints and coatings, adhesives, beauty and personal care items, and bioplastics.