Synthetic biology is an emerging field that builds new life: replacement organs and soft tissue, as well as entirely new kinds of organisms never before seen on Earth.

Zymergen, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is developing original microbes for making specialty polymers, which have applications in military equipment and electric vehicles.

In 2018, it raised $400 million in its third round of funding from SoftBank Vision Fund, Goldman Sachs, Korea-based Hanwha Asset Management and others. Synthetic biologists at Ginkgo Bioworks build custom-crafted microbes for their customers, which have included designer bacteria enabling crops to fertilize themselves.