crowdfunding

Keira Havens is the co-founder of Revolution Bioengineering, and this week the company launched a crowd funding campaign (see video below) to produce flowers that can change colors.

And what is the revolution?

“We want to change the world,” says Keira. “We really want to make a difference in the way people think about biotechnology. For a long time it’s been the realm of large companies and behind-the-scenes labs, and we want to make it a part of folks' everyday lives.”

Keira hopes that a genetically engineered plant product which is not eaten or produced by a big company will not be as threatening to those afraid of GMOs and might possible affect the ongoing debate over genetically modified products.

The flower will not be available until 2017. So it could be some time before Keira and her team are turning a pumpkin into a stagecoach.

IndieGogo Campaign Video

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Guest:

John Cumbers, PhD, Synthetic Biologist, NASA Ames

Listen (4:03) Synbio in UK

Listen (1:45) Intrexon IPO and consumer space

Listen (5:30) Crowdfunding and its discontent

Listen (2:39) GMO OMG

Listen (4:52) Trouble in the DIY space?

Listen (3:21) Resveratrol yogurt

Listen (4:06) Highlights of upcoming SynBioBeta conference

Joining us to kick off a new SynBio Series is John Cumbers, founder of SynBioBeta. Cumbers and his team puts on the annual conference for the synthetic biology community in San Francisco each year. The next one is scheduled for Nov 15, 2013. In today's show, John previews the upcoming conference and reviews some of the events of the past year: the Intrexon IPO, the crowdfunded Glowing Plants Project, and other happenings in this exciting space.

Podcast brought to you by: Chempetitive Group - "We love science. We love marketing. We love the idea of combining the two to make great things happen for your marketing communications."

Podcast brought to you by: Chempetitive Group - Who for more than a decade has helped science-based companies build and execute innovative marketing campaigns. "We love science. We love marketing. We love the idea of combining the two to make great things happen for your marketing communications."

Guests:

Antony Evans, Project Manager, Glowing Plants Bio and Contact Info

Listen (6:07) Glowing plants produced before

Listen (5:45) Goals of the project

Listen (9:01) Biggest hurdles on ethical and policy front

Listen (2:27) Democratizing synthetic biology

There’s a new synthetic biology project attracting a lot of attention over at kickstarter. With the title: Glowing Plants: Natural Lighting with no Electricity, the project has already over 5,000 backers and has raised over $300,000. Will this be a great way to introduce synthetic biology to the larger public and inspire others to do similar projects? Here to talk about the goal and details of Glowing Plants is project leader, Antony Evans.

Podcast brought to you by: Chempetitive Group - Who for more than a decade has helped science-based companies build and execute innovative marketing campaigns. "We love science. We love marketing. We love the idea of combining the two to make great things happen for your marketing communications."

Guest:

Marco A. Biamonte, CEO, Drug Discovery for Tropical Diseases Bio and Contact Info

Every once in a while a story comes along that sounds too good to be true. You do a double take and ask, did I hear that right? Marco Biamonte is from the French speaking area of Switzerland. In his early 20’s he traveled around the world, particularly the third world, as many youngsters do. There he encountered poverty and disease which startled him. And which he has never forgotten. Twenty years later, after a career as a chemist at Biogen Idec, Biamonte is returning to the compassion he found in his youth that came as a result of exposure to those less fortunate. Now, after years in the pharma industry, he feels empowered and equipped to do something to relieve the suffering of so many.

Marco is the founder of Drug Discovery for Tropical Diseases, a non profit based in San Diego that is striking out against diseases associated with poverty. And their first project is to develop a better medication for malaria. What about the work of the Gates Foundation in this area, or other non profits, I ask Biamonte, and where did he find the confidence to strike out on his own in such an undertaking? How is the organization funded, and how will the enterprise fare in a profit driven industry? Listen to the answers in Marco's own words.