10108403NetZeroSoph: Sustainable and Economic Sophorolipid Production for Net Zero ImpactActiveCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThere is growing industrial, consumer and regulatory demand for sustainable alternative ingredients for a range of everyday products, with a particular focus on surfactant-based formulations. The necessity of sustainable, bio-based materials for the future economy is emphasised under "Materials for the future economy", Innovate UK Materials and manufacturing vision 2050\. Bio-based replacements for fossil derived synthetic surfactants have existed since the 1990s, though current production processes are severely limited by: low productivity (<2 g/L/h), high energy demand and complex downstream processing, leading to a high price point in excesses of the cost of synthetic surfactants, hindering market adoption. Holiferm's technology and fermentation expertise enable a step change in biosurfactant production cost, allowing manufacturers of formulated products to overcome current adoption barriers, ultimately benefiting consumers. NetZeroSoph will provide a significant change in trajectory and accelerated progress towards Holiferm's strategic goal of achieving net zero sophorolipid biosurfactant production, enhancing their world leading sophorolipid production process and diversifying the portfolio of sophorolipid molecules through application of advanced fermentation technology, holistic process development and engineering biology approaches. This collaboration with Evolutor and The University of Manchester will yield circular, novel, sophorolipids with significantly reduced life cycle impacts and enhanced technoeconomics. Market need has been validated through discussion with end-users and distributors such as Sasol, Star Brands and Ingredients Plus, with this project expanding on Holiferm's success in constructing a flexible pilot plant and the recent commissioning of a 1000 tpa commercial demonstration sophorolipid production facility, providing in house capabilities for accelerated development and rapid scaleup/translation (building on/exploiting outputs of prior Innovate UK funding). NetZeroSoph will accelerate CR&D aligned with long-term strategy to drive down cost whilst achieving net zero manufacture, providing bio-based replacements for traditional synthetic surfactants in applications including household, laundry and personal care, establishing Holiferm as a world leading manufacturer of biosurfactants.