eDNAtec Water Sampling Operations

“This is one of the deepest and most ambitious studies we have undertaken. This partnership will contribute to the growing body of data that is informing our understanding of deep oceans and the extraordinary spectrum of species that play important roles in those ecosystems.” – Dr. Hajibabaei

LONDON (PRWEB)
March 15, 2022

From the tradeshow floor of Oceanology (OI) 2022, OceanGate Expeditions and eDNAtec today announced plans to gather environmental DNA (eDNA) water samples throughout all five missions of the 2022 Titanic Survey Expedition. The submersible crews will collect water samples at depths throughout the water column to gain a clearer understanding of the biodiversity of the deep ocean artificial reef created by the wreck of the Titanic.

“This is groundbreaking deep-sea research. The deeper you go into the ocean, the less knowledgeable we are. This study will give us an entirely different view of this one-of-a-kind habitat while also adding substantially to shared deep water DNA data sets,” says marine biology expert Dr. Steve W. Ross. “Our primary goal is to publish the most important findings so the results are available to researchers, marine biologists, and scientists for future studies and comparison. Water samples taken and analyzed using advanced genomics technologies will not only help us identify the lifeforms we can directly observe from the Titan submersible, but will also give us a full picture of the lifeforms we cannot see. This includes invisible signs of both microscopic creatures and larger animals that leave traces of DNA in the water surrounding the Titanic. This research effort will contribute to conservation of the ecosystem of the wreck site,” continues Dr. Ross.

“We will conduct a longitudinal eDNA study to document the marine biodiversity of the Titanic’s deep-water ecosystem,” explains Dr. Mehrdad Hajibabaei, an internationally recognized expert in biodiversity genomics and Founder and CSO of eDNAtec. “Utilizing EnviroSeq, our advanced eDNA sequencing approach, we will generate a complete view of organisms in an ecosystem using high-capacity sequencing platforms that generate billions of genomic sequences.”

According to Dr. Hajibabaei, environmental genomics is contributing in an unprecedented way to our ability to study and monitor biodiversity directly from bulk environmental samples, such as water, soil and sediments. “This is one of the deepest and most ambitious studies we have undertaken. This partnership will contribute to the growing body of data that is informing our understanding of deep oceans and the extraordinary spectrum of species that play important roles in those ecosystems.”

The OceanGate Expeditions 2022 Titanic Expedition marine biology crew is comprised of marine biologists from the U.S. and Scotland including Dr. Steve Ross, Research Professor, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Dr. Lea-Anne Henry, Chancellor’s Fellow, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh; Dr. Murray Roberts, Professor of Applied Marine Biology & Ecology, University of Edinburgh, and Dr. Anna Gebruk, Head of International Collaboration, LMSU Marine Research Center, University of Edinburgh. The expeditionary crew will also include environmental DNA experts from eDNAtec including Beverly McClenaghan, Senior Ecologist, eDNAtec. These studies are supported by OceanGate Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which provides financial support for marine research and applied technology. eDNAtec will conduct the eDNA analyses in their state-of-the-art research centre, the Centre for Environmental Genomics Applications (CEGA), in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.

The crew will be further supported by OceanGate Expeditions crewmembers and citizen explorers who will serve as Mission Specialists for this important ecological study. Aspiring Mission Specialists interested in supporting the Titanic Survey Expedition should contact OceanGate Expeditions for qualifications, availability, and additional details.

OceanGate Expeditions

Media Inquiries | Lisa Dreher | lisa.dreher@oceangateexpeditions.com | +1 425-442-1301

Expedition Inquiries | Kyle Bingham | kyle.bingham@oceangateexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-6343

Investor Inquiries | Bob Shuman | robert.shuman@oceangatexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-5017

Business Inquiries | Bob Shuman | robert.shuman@oceangatexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-5017

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IMAGES

eDNAtec

Media Inquiries | Caron Hawco | caron@eDNAtec.com | +1 709-770-3429

Business Inquiries | Steve Barrett | steve@eDNAtec.com | +1 416-200-7694

ABOUT OCEANGATE EXPEDITIONS

OceanGate Expeditions, Ltd is dedicated to direct human exploration of the undersea world. Not satisfied with scratching the surface of the ocean near the shoreline, OceanGate Expeditions charters manned submersibles to create expeditions at depths far deeper than can be reached with SCUBA. The organization conducts undersea expeditions to explore and document the 95% of the seafloor that man has never visited including iconic shipwrecks, hydrothermal vents, deep-sea canyons, and uncommon biological events around the world. These expeditions, to depths approaching 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), provide rare opportunities for citizen scientists to observe the mysteries of the deep sea and expand our understanding of our home, Earth, the blue planet. Visit http://www.oceangateexpeditions.com.

Follow OceanGate Expeditions on: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

ABOUT eDNAtec

eDNAtec Inc. are specialists in environmental genomics – dedicated to transforming how to assess, characterize and monitor ecosystems using DNA sequencing and supporting environmental stewardship of our planet’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Since 2015, eDNAtec has delivered hundreds of remediation and ecological genomics projects for clients around the world. CEGA , eDNAtec’s R&D centre, is fully dedicated to the application of genomics to environmental characterization and monitoring. eDNAtec is working closely with the world’s ocean industries, including energy and fisheries as well as the Government of Canada and Indigenous communities, to bring genomics to mainstream environmental assessment and monitoring. Visit http://www.ednatec.com.

Follow eDNAtec on: LinkedIn | Twitter

ABOUT OCEANGATE FOUNDATION

OceanGate Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fueling underwater discoveries in nautical archaeology, marine sciences, and subsea technology through public outreach and supplemental financial support. The organization was founded by entrepreneurs with a passion for ocean exploration who want to expand the world’s appreciation and understanding of the deep ocean. Since 2010, OceanGate Foundation has been providing supplemental financial support to augment primary research grants that enable to efficiently conduct extended and enhanced research studies during expeditions occurring in locations across the globe. Visit http://www.oceangatefoundation.org.

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Dr. Scott Parazynski, NASA Astronaut, Physician, Expeditionary Expert

“NASA’s expertise in the design and automated fiber placement lay up of composite hulls was extremely valuable on this project,” says Stockton Rush, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, OceanGate, Inc.

EVERETT, Wash. (PRWEB)
March 09, 2022

OCEANGATE, INC. (OceanGate) worked in consultation with a team of engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama throughout the development and manufacturing of Titan, the world’s only carbon fiber and titanium submersible capable of carrying five crew members to the wreck of the RMS Titanic at 3,800 meters. This achievement marks the beginning of a new era of exploration offering a vast range of opportunities for deep-sea investigation and scientific research.

As shared in the NASA Analog Fact Sheet: One of the most extreme environments on Earth is the ocean. Not only is the ocean harsh and unpredictable, it also provides many parallels to the challenges of living and working in space.

NASA’s collaboration with OceanGate was made possible through the Space Act. The Space Act was designed to benefit both NASA’s diverse missions, including the Artemis program and future exploration initiatives, and organizations like OceanGate.

“NASA’s expertise in the design and automated fiber placement lay up of composite hulls was extremely valuable on this project,” says Stockton Rush, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, OceanGate, Inc. “The ability to construct Titan’s pressure hull with aerospace grade carbon fiber and manufacturing protocols results in a submersible which weighs a fraction of what other deep diving crewed submersibles weigh. This weight reduction allows us to carry a significantly greater payload which we use to carry five crewmembers: a pilot, researchers, and mission specialists. Titan represents a consequential step forward for human exploration of the ocean which few realize constitutes 99% of Earth’s livable volume.”

NASA Space Shuttle Astronaut, Dr. Scott Parazynski provides additional perspective: “Exploration of our deep oceans is imperative to gaining a better understanding of our blue planet. Spending many weeks in space as a NASA astronaut looking down upon our planet gave me a deeper appreciation for the fragility of our planet,” says Dr. Scott Parazynski, OceanGate submersible pilot-in-training. “In 2021, I had the wonderful opportunity to dive to the Titanic site as an OceanGate Expeditions crewmember. This cutting-edge submersible technology has the power to change the way we explore our deep oceans and understand our planet. I look forward to our second expedition this summer,” continues Parazynski.

“OceanGate is doing for deep sea exploration, discovery, and research what companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, World View, and Virgin Galactic are doing for space exploration and discovery,” says Dr. Alan Stern, Scientist, planetary scientist, space program executive, author/speaker, and NASA-selected Virgin Galactic crew member. “I look forward to supporting OceanGate’s effort to document the Titanic and its role as a deep ocean artificial reef when I join the expedition as a crewmember this summer,” says Stern.

In July and August 2021, OceanGate’s Titan submersible completed a series of dives over six-week period to the wreck of the RMS Titanic, which lies at 3800 meters on the floor of the North Atlantic. The success of this expedition represents the culmination of over a decade of design and development work. Plans are already in place for the 2022 Titanic Expedition which is comprised of five mission legs of 8 days each. The primary scientific objectives of the 2022 Titanic Expedition include studying and documenting the sea life that make the Titanic and surrounding area home and continued exploration and discovery of the archaeology and history of the important maritime heritage site. The expedition will begin in June and will embark from St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Maritime and subsea industry professionals and scientists interested in learning more about OceanGate’s 5-crewmember submersible advancements can learn more at http://www.oceangate.com.

Aspiring Mission Specialists interested in supporting the 2022 Titanic Expedition should contact OceanGate Expeditions regarding availability, requirements, and qualifications. Additional details are available at http://www.oceangateexpeditions.com.

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Media Inquiries | Lisa Dreher | lisa@oceangate.com | +1 425-442-1301

Expedition Inquiries | Kyle Bingham | kyle.bingham@oceangateexpeditions.com | +1 425-595-6343

Investor Inquiries | Bob Shuman | bob@oceangate.com | +1 425-595-5017

Business Inquiries | Bob Shuman | bob@oceangate.com | +1 425-595-5017

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IMAGES

ABOUT OCEANGATE, INC.

OceanGate Inc makes deep-sea exploration possible for commercial, scientific, and exploration travel expeditions. Founded in Everett, Washington in 2009, the company provides manned submersible services to reach ocean depths previously inaccessible to most individuals and organizations. OceanGate owns and operates three 5-person submersibles that provide deep-sea access for site survey, scientific research, film production, and travel. Visit oceangate.com.

ABOUT OCEANGATE EXPEDITIONS

OceanGate Expeditions, Ltd is dedicated to direct human exploration of the undersea world. Using crewed submersibles, OceanGate Expeditions crewmembers explore the 95% of the seafloor that man has never visited, including iconic shipwrecks, hydrothermal vents, deep-sea canyons, and uncommon biological events around the world. Mission Specialist participation supports the work of scientists and archaeologists who are studying the mysteries of the deep sea. These expeditions, to depths approaching 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), provide rare opportunities for citizen explorers and researchers to work together to expand our understanding of our home, Earth, the blue planet. Visit http://www.oceangateexpeditions.com.

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GC/ID screenshot showing analysis results and Auto RI curve.

Cerno GC/ID is a powerful, fully automated, vendor independent solution for GC/MS qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis.

LAS VEGAS (PRWEB)
March 03, 2022

Cerno Bioscience announced today that it has released version 3.0 of its innovative MassWorks Rx GC/ID software. GC/ID provides superior compound identification by combining Library Search, Retention Index (RI), and Accurate Mass to confidently identify and semi-quantitate unknowns. It provides fast processing of entire runs (batch or single) from most GC/MS instruments from Agilent, Shimadzu, Thermo and PerkinElmer.

Version 3.0 introduces many powerful new features including Auto RI™, a patented system for automatic Retention Index calibration without the need to run any standards, saving time and enabling enhanced analysis of previously acquired data. Magic Highlighter™ is a revolutionary new way to visualize the quality of each peak ID. Blending four important metrics (Forward Search, Reverse Search, Retention Index and Formula ID (via Spectral Accuracy)) to signify High, Medium, and Low compound ID confidence in a color-coded system accelerates the review process. Semi-Quant is a new, simple, but powerful tool for semi-quantitative analysis. It allows easy setup of Target and Reference peaks by retention time, retention index, or just by compound identity (as determined by search). Even mixture peaks can be quantified thanks to powerful deconvolution. These and a host of other improvements transform GC/ID in powerful new ways.

To enhance the confidence of correctly identifying non-target compounds, GC/ID performs molecular and fragment ion formula confirmation, which is accomplished using Cerno’s patented and proven TrueCal™ calibration technology. Using full profile mode data and the GC/MS built-in calibration gas, the MS is automatically calibrated for both accurate mass (easily within +/- 20 mDa) and Spectral Accuracy (typically >99%). This provides an Effective Mass Accuracy (EMA) on a single quadrupole comparable to high resolution instruments. GC/ID performs forward and reverse library search using the industry standard NIST search engine. It also takes advantage of the expanded compound Retention Index (RI) data in the new commercial library collections (NIST20 and Wiley Registry 12) to automatically perform quantitative RI match for confident compound identification.

“Our team listened carefully to our users to make sure GC/ID 3.0 fits their needs,” said Yongdong Wang, President of Cerno. “While GC/MS library search has been a well-established and effective tool for the ID of organic compounds, little progress has been made to assist the analyst in determining the correct match from a long list of possible hits, until now. GC/ID combines reliable mixture deconvolution, library search, accurate mass formula confirmation and RI match capabilities in an easy-to-use, automated, and quantitative manner. This can save the analyst hundreds of hours while increasing compound ID confidence and minimizing the number of ‘unidentified’ peaks due to interferences, unresolved peaks, or just ambiguous library search results.”

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The Chinese government is also supportive of international partnerships and has introduced an improved regulatory environment for more efficient and accelerated research and new drug approvals.

TORONTO (PRWEB)
February 24, 2022

The number of clinical trials in China that were conducted over recent years has increased, particularly for Japanese pharmaceutical companies. With a growing aging population, an estimated 2.2 billion hospital visits per year, an expansive network of qualified hospitals and research sites, and a skilled talent pool of clinical trial project leaders, China is an appealing location. The Chinese government is also supportive of international partnerships and has introduced an improved regulatory environment for more efficient and accelerated research and new drug approvals.

In this webinar, the featured speaker will discuss the landscape of clinical trials in China, including ways that sponsors can address and ease common difficulties in managing a study in China.

Attendees will learn about the impact of recent regulatory reforms, including the Human Genetic Resources Administration of China (HGRAC) regulation. The featured speaker will discuss best practices for operational oversight and governance. In addition, the featured speaker will give practical tips and solutions for developing an effective communications plan, as well as how to address escalations.

Join Qing Liu, MPH, MBA, Director, Project Management, ICON, for the live webinar on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 10am CST (China).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit A Guide to Conducting Clinical Trials in China.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

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JUPITER, Fla. (PRWEB)
February 22, 2022

Scheduled to broadcast Q2/2022, an upcoming episode of the award-winning television series, Advancements with Ted Danson, will focus on the advancement of treatment discovery for life threatening allergies and rare diseases.

Viewers will learn about orphan diseases and will discover how the rarity of these disorders often keeps them from garnering the attention they deserve to gain support and resources for discovering treatments.

The show will explore how the Food Allergy Institute (FAI) –formerly known as the Southern California Food Allergy Institute (SCFAI) – is working to advance treatment discovery at a pace that helps its patients, while building a scalable model of success to accelerate the rate of research discovery for rare and orphan diseases.

“In medical school, I asked why are we ignoring a certain condition? Why are we not pursing a different form of therapy? The answer often was “well that’s not what’s done.” So I knew very clearly at this stage that I had to do something differently. Now with over 10,000 patients and treatments in just over a decade of time, it is reflective of this comprehensive approach bringing in data, science and applied math towards research and development,”said Dr. Inderpal Randhawa – Founder, CEO, and Chief Medical Officer of TPIRC & SCFAI

Spectators will also see how the Food Allergy Institute is using the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to create treatment plans and advance discovery that are based on decades of data.

“The Southern California Food Allergy Institute uses high-powered mathematics and analytics to best understand food allergies and how to safely treat each child’s unique food allergies with an individualized treatment plan,” said Tamara Phillips, producer for the Advancements series. “We are excited to share this information.”

About the Food Allergy Institute:

The Tolerance Induction Program (TIP™) at the Food Allergy Institute (FAI) is a revolutionary food allergy treatment program developed in part with the nonprofit Translational Pulmonary and Immunology Research Center (TPIRC). Its goal is for all children who suffer from food allergy anaphylaxis to reach disease remission, meaning that they can safely eat whatever they want, in any amount, without the fear of a reaction. With a near-perfect success rate of 99% for over 12,000 patients since 2015, thousands of children are living a life free from anxiety.

For more information, please visit: http://www.socalfoodallergy.org.

About Advancements and DMG Productions:

Advancements is an information-based educational television series targeting recent advances across a number of industries and economies. Featuring state-of-the-art solutions and important issues facing today’s consumers and business professionals, Advancements focuses on cutting-edge developments, and brings this information to the public with the vision to enlighten about how technology and innovation continue to transform our world.

Backed by experts in various fields, DMG Productions is dedicated to education and advancement, and to consistently producing commercial-free, educational programming on which both viewers and networks depend.

For more information, please visit http://www.AdvancementsTV.com or call 866-496-4065.

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Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB)
February 21, 2022

The United States crop producers are no stranger to extreme weather conditions. Untimely weather events can wreak havoc on United States crop production causing major economic losses. Impacts of weather during the growth of the crop receives the most attention, but what about the impact of weather events before and during the planting season?

In the new article “Corn and Soybean Prevented Planting Acres Response to Weather,” Christopher Boyer, from the University of Tennessee, Eunchun Park from the University of Arkansas, and Seong Yun from Mississippi State University explore monthly precipitation and temperature before and during planting impacts of U.S. corn and soybean prevented planting acres.

Boyer says, “Precipitation from January through May impacted corn prevented planting acres, and precipitation in May and June impacted soybean prevented planting acres. Higher average temperature in April and May decreased corn and soybean prevented planting acres. In general, cooler and wetter April and May months will increase the corn and cooler and wetter May will increase soybean prevented planting acres.”

If you are interested in setting up an interview, please contact Allison Ware in the AAEA Business Office.

ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices and the online open access publication series Applied Economics Teaching Resources. To learn more, visit http://www.aaea.org.

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“We’re at a pivotal moment in time where mature modern technologies and advances in biotech can meet to build a world where human prosperity and economic growth are planet-positive.”

SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB)
February 16, 2022

Today, Rubi Laboratories – the pioneer in carbon-negative cellulosic textiles – announces it has raised $4.5m in seed funding. The round was led by Talis Capital and Necessary Ventures, with participation from Climactic, Collaborative Fund, Plug and Play, Incite Ventures, Darco Capital, Cayuse Partners, Axial VC, Climate Capital Collective, and CapitalX. A number of industry leaders joined as angels, including James Reinhart, CEO and founder of thredUP; Manny Mashouf, CEO and founder of Bebe Stores; Nicolaj Reffstrup, founder of GANNI; Alexander Lorestanti, CEO and co-founder of Geltor; and Rei Wang, co-founder of The Grand and former CEO of Dorm Room Fund. The round also includes a $250,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The funding will enable Rubi’s R&D and commercialization to meet the textile needs of major fashion brands.

Founded in 2020 by Neeka and Leila Mashouf, Rubi Laboratories is pioneering the creation of carbon negative cellulosic textiles through its patent-pending, cell-free biocatalytic process, starting with viscose. To do this, Rubi captures CO2 from the waste streams of manufacturing facilities using its proprietary enzyme system which can capture and convert CO2 from a gas input at any concentration. The CO2 is then converted into cellulose, which can then be used to create viscose-based yarn. By utilizing enzymes as the catalyst, Rubi is able to turn 100% of CO2 inputted to the end product with zero waste.

Rubi is providing a carbon negative, zero-water and zero-land alternative to the $15bn viscose industry, which typically relies on pulp derived from wood. Roughly 35% of major fashion brands’ SKUs are made from viscose, a statistic forecasted to grow 8% every year until 2025. Viscose is the third most used textile in the world, with key uses outside of fashion in the automotive industry for items like tyres. While Rubi will initially focus on the fashion market, the company’s longer-term plans include applying the same technology to other industries such as food, packaging and building materials.

The company has raised funding at a critical moment in time for the fashion industry as major brands set ambitious targets to zero carbon, or carbon reduction goals, by 2030. Overall, the fashion industry is the third-most CO2-polluting supply chain in the world, with the majority of emissions coming from the textile supply chain. Even though today’s viscose and cotton textiles come from plants, their processing and manufacturing contribute over 10kg of CO2 per kg of textile. Rubi’s technology enables its textiles to be net carbon-negative per kg of textile. There’s immense market pressure on fashion companies to become more sustainable: at least 60% of fashion customers are demanding sustainable choices, meaning that the industry could see a $52bn profit reduction by 2030 if no action is taken. The most prevalent issue for these brands is sourcing carbon-free materials that can be scaled to meet production, and at price parity: 200 major fashion retailers are already paying a premium for organic cotton.

The founders’ vision for innovating a zero-carbon fashion industry formed in their unique experience in both technology and fashion. CEO Neeka published her first paper in artificial photosynthesis at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab when she was 15 years old, earned simultaneous degrees in Materials Engineering and Business at UC Berkeley, and then went on to manage product at both Lyft and Autodesk before founding Rubi. CTO Leila’s background is in biological engineering and novel cancer immunotherapeutics research, working on nanobiopolymer drug delivery platforms, oncolytic viruses, artificial antigen presenting cell therapies, and engineered protein conjugates since age 15, though most recently as a graduate research fellow at Stanford University Department of Neurosurgery and Bioengineering. She received her B.S. in Computational Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins University with an in-progress Medical Doctorate from Harvard Medical School. The sisters also bring a lifetime of fashion retail exposure as a result of growing up in the space with their family business Bebe Stores, founded by their uncle Manny Mashouf, which went on to become a multi-billion dollar fashion empire.

Rubi’s first textile samples are expected to be available in March 2022. Rubi has validated its technology by creating a successful prototype and has currently agreed test plans with numerous tier-one global retail and fashion brands. Rubi is also in discussions with various multinational energy and manufacturing companies to provide CO2 to scale up production.

Neeka Mashouf, CEO and Co-Founder of Rubi Laboratories, said: “We’re at a pivotal moment in time where mature modern technologies and advances in biotech can meet to build a world where human prosperity and economic growth are planet-positive. With increased consumer and government pressure to solve fashion’s reliance on carbon-heavy textiles, innovation in textiles can have a dramatic impact on reducing fashion’s carbon emissions. In turn, we’re seeing brands demonstrating a willingness to pay a premium for these materials – as long as there’s a tangible line of sight to reach price parity with traditional materials eventually – both because they know it will drive costs down in the longer term, but also because it supports them in terms of achieving their sustainability goals. We’re excited to partner with Talis, Necessary Ventures and influential funds and angels in this space to bring Rubi’s vision to commercialization!”

Cecilia Manduca, Associate at Talis Capital, said: “As opposed to the great venture stories of the last decade, we believe that the next trillion-dollar companies in this space won’t be creating new markets like Airbnb and Uber did, but instead will replace existing trillion-dollar markets with better, cheaper and cleaner sustainable alternatives. We strongly believe that Neeka and Leila’s unique combined experience in scientific academia, product and retail will enable Rubi to become a winner in this space. We’re looking forward to seeing how this capital can supercharge the next phase of their journey and we’re delighted to be a part of it!”

Neil Devani, Managing Director at Necessary Ventures, said: “Neeka and Leila are building something the world truly needs. More sustainable, affordable, and logistically flexible supply chains are top of mind across many industries. This is something we’ve experienced with Solugen in the chemicals industry. With Rubi and textiles, there’s also a palpable response from consumers taking up the climate fight, which is driving excitement in the fashion and apparel industry. Even the videos the team has put out on TikTok are generating strong engagement in just a couple weeks of testing. They’ve already begun attracting great talent and inbound interest, and I’m proud to be supporting them on this important mission.”

Matthew Claxton, Global Director of Sustainability at Plug and Play Tech Center, said: “Plug and Play is very excited to be part of Rubi Laboratories’ journey. Their ability to target two large markets and important environmental challenges is something that we are proud to support. Neeka and Leila are knowledgeable and motivated: we truly believe their innovative company will bring a fresh and revolutionary product to many industries searching to achieve their carbon commitments.”

Press contact:

Ellie Crocker

ellie@taliscapital.com

+447799463008

About Rubi Laboratories

Rubi makes carbon-negative textiles for the fashion industry with synthetic biology. Founded in 2020, the company makes the same high-quality natural textiles used in industry today entirely from carbon emissions, bypassing current agriculture and manufacturing to create a product that is carbon-negative, water- and land- neutral, and naturally biodegradable.

Rubi was founded by two twin sisters, Neeka Mashouf and Leila Mashouf, who grew up in the fashion industry with a global family fashion brand, Bebe Stores. Neeka and Leila then studied to become scientists in materials and biology, and ultimately teamed up to re-invent fashion supply chains with a proprietary biomanufacturing technology that is inherently planet-positive. Rubi represents hard science, fashion, climate justice, and Gen-Zs ensuring our own planetary future. To learn more, visit http://www.rubi.earth.

About Talis Capital

Founded in 2009, Talis is a London-based venture capital firm, backing visionary founders at seed and Series A in the US and Europe. Investing on behalf of an interdisciplinary community of entrepreneurs who’ve built billion-dollar businesses, Talis is uniquely placed to add value to the whole entrepreneurial journey, supporting founders who see the future differently through every stage of their company lifecycles. Darktrace (LSE), Onfido, Ynsect, Garten, Luminance, iwoca, Plum Guide and Pirate.com are among Talis’ portfolio of 55+ companies. For more information, see http://www.taliscapital.com.

About Necessary Ventures

Necessary Ventures invests in what the world needs, with a focus on early-stage companies that are tackling challenges in healthcare, education, financial services, and climate. We help founders use mission-based narratives to drive tangible, business outcomes and more rapidly reach scale. To learn more, visit http://www.necessary.vc.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 35+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.