Iowa Expands Bioindustrial Manufacturing with $40M BioMADE Facility

In a significant move to bolster Iowa's bioindustrial manufacturing capabilities, Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen recently participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a $40 million project at the ISU BioCentury Research Farm in Boone.

The project, led by BioMADE, a Manufacturing Innovation Institute backed by the U.S. Department of War, will establish a 15,000-square-foot pilot-scale biomanufacturing plant at the research farm. The facility is designed to support the development and research of bioindustrial products, helping to bring them to commercial and defense markets.

The project is a collaborative effort, with $10 million in funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, $10 million from Iowa State University, and $20 million from BioMADE, in addition to support from the U.S. Department of War. The new facility will expand ISU's fermentation capabilities, including the addition of 5,000 and 10,000-liter industrial fermenters, as well as lab space and downstream processing capabilities for businesses to test and scale their products.

Governor Reynolds praised the project as a reflection of the power of partnerships, bringing together Iowa's strengths in agriculture, research, and manufacturing to create something truly transformative. BioMADE CEO Douglas Friedman also highlighted the importance of these pilot projects in filling a critical gap and leading the way to more bio-based products being manufactured in the United States.