創新企業之星

OPX生物技術公司

公司收入：不詳

公司總部：科羅拉多州博爾德

所屬行業：可再生化學品

成立時間：2007年

員工人數：47人

????大部分人把大腸桿菌當作是致病細菌，但是OPX公司的視角卻與眾不同。總部位于博爾德的這家生物技術公司把經過基因方法改造的大腸桿菌與玉米和甘蔗進行混合，生產一系列的農作物化工產品，替代成本高昂的石油化工產品。該公司的首個產品是生物丙烯酸——石油丙烯酸的替代品——廣泛應用于油漆、粘合劑和尿片生產。最近，OPX公司獲得了3，650萬美元的風險投資，并宣布與陶氏化學公司（Dow Chemical）建立了合作伙伴關系。它計劃在2014年建成首個規?；S。CEO查斯?艾格特稱，丙烯酸的全球產值為80億美元，年增長率為3%至4%。他說：“我們的目標是成為世界可再生化工產品行業的領袖，并涉足多個領域?！奔幢闳绱?，在這個熱門領域，該公司面臨著來自生物基化學公司Genomatica和BioAmber公司的激烈競爭。

????——理查德?麥吉爾?墨菲

OPX Biotechnology

Revenue: Not available

Headquarters: Boulder, Colo.

Industry: Renewable chemicals

Founded: 2007

Employees: 47

????Most people think of e-coli as a yucky bacteria that can make you sick, but that's not how OPX sees it. The Boulder-based biotech blends genetically engineered e-coli with corn or sugarcane to produce a range of plant-based chemicals that replace more expensive petroleum-based compounds. The company's first commercial product is bioacrylic, a sub for petroleum-based acrylic acid, a common ingredient in paints, adhesives, and diapers. OPX recently raised $36.5 million in venture capital and recently announced a partnership with Dow Chemical. It plans to open its first industrial-scale plant in 2014. According to CEO Chas Eggert, the global market for acrylic acid is about $8 billion, growing at an annual rate of 3% to 4%. "We want to be the world leader in renewable chemicals, with a broad portfolio," he says. Even so, the company operates in a crowded field with tough competition from Genomatica and BioAmber.

????--R.M.M.