miibio, Inc. (miibio) is a startup born at the University of Tokyo. It has technology that uses light to control the metabolic pathways of microorganisms, making it possible to produce biomass-derived chemical raw materials at low cost. We spoke with CEO Kensho Hayamizu, who says this technology could make it possible to replace petroleum-derived products with biomass-derived ones, about what kind of biomanufacturing the company is aiming for, what it is working on now, and its outlook for the future.
Why biomanufacturing is attracting attention now
Biomanufacturing means “manufacturing that uses the power of microorganisms.” It is a technology that uses raw materials such as biomass-derived sugars together with the work of microorganisms to make substitutes for petrochemicals without using petroleum. Companies and researchers around the world are now paying attention to biomanufacturing and developing it, and among them, we believe our technology has a strong advantage in low-cost production.
There are two main reasons biomanufacturing is attracting attention. One is climate change. There is a need to curb, as much as possible, the one-way emission of CO2, which is considered one of the major causes of global warming. The other is the issue of petroleum resources. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the reserves-to-production ratio of oil is estimated at about 50 years (*1).
As one of the future means of manufacturing without petroleum, biomanufacturing is an essential technology for supporting our lives from here on.
Controlling how microorganisms work with light
Sugar, the main raw material for biomanufacturing, is made mainly of carbon.
In other words, biomanufacturing is a technology that uses sugar (carbon) made by plants through photosynthesis as a raw material and, through the fermenting power of microorganisms, produces all kinds of carbon-based substances such as materials, fuels, pharmaceuticals, and food.
Take the chemical raw materials we are targeting, for example. When products made from them are eventually discarded and burned, the carbon in the products returns to the atmosphere as CO2, and that CO2 is taken up by plants again through photosynthesis, completing a cycle. We believe the essence of biomanufacturing lies in this “carbon management for the whole planet.”
However, there is a very big challenge in expanding bio-based chemical raw materials. The answer is simple: mass production is difficult, so costs end up high. While bio-based chemicals are attracting attention in the context of decarbonization, the reality is that they have not spread because they cost more than petrochemicals.
What makes our technology groundbreaking is that it uses a foundational technology called “photoswitchable proteins,” developed by Professor Moritoshi Sato of the University of Tokyo, to control the fermentation production process of biomanufacturing with light, enabling low-cost, large-scale production of bio-based chemical raw materials.
Preparing to build a pilot plant toward practical use after 2030
I am not a researcher. I am just an entrepreneur. I met Professor Sato, the inventor of miibio’s core technology and a co-founder of the company, through a university startup program and community that a friend invited me to.
Japan’s universities and public research institutions have a lot of unique and socially valuable research, and many professors want to use their research results to solve social issues and make the world a better place. Putting those results into use in society requires someone to start a company with them, in other words an entrepreneur, but it is hard for professors to find such people. That is one of Japan’s social issues. The government recognizes this too and creates many opportunities, such as events, to connect researchers with entrepreneurs. My meeting with Professor Sato was one of them.
Before founding miibio, as I got to know Professor Sato’s research through our exchanges, I saw great promise in the excellent research and was also drawn to Professor Sato’s strong drive to put it into use in society. That is how I came to think, “I want to take on the challenge of a startup that uses this technology.”
Amid the global push for decarbonization, a huge industry of bio-based chemicals is expected to emerge. We are now preparing to design and build a pilot plant toward putting bio-based chemicals into use in society, and at the same time we are pursuing joint research with companies and customer development.
We believe the bio-based chemicals we work on offer opportunities not only in Japan but globally, so we are already actively discussing them with customers around the world with an eye to overseas expansion. Our aim is to develop this unique light-controlled biomanufacturing production system and license the system itself to customers, and for miibio itself to become a green chemical manufacturer and contribute to a decarbonized, post-petroleum society.
How We Used OIH
Since being selected in 2022 for the Kansai startup incubation program “KIDOU (1st cohort),” we have used many of OIH’s programs. In 2023 we won the 1st HeCNOS AWARD and were able to exhibit at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. We also won an Excellence Award at “Tech Osaka Award 2025,” the English pitch contest at Tech Osaka Summit 2025. As a company based in the Kanto region, OIH has given us a great opportunity to connect with companies and startups in Kansai.
Interview date: December 8, 2025
(Interview and text: Aya Iwamura)