Bay Area biofuels startups tightening belts, diversifying focus as credit crunch slows path to commercialization

 
Bay Area biofuels ventures are diversifying and tightening belts as the credit crunch hits numerous VC-funded startups and early-stage companies. The East Bay edition of Bizjournal confirmed in its coverage that interest in advanced biofuels is strong, but LS9 confirmed it is reducing staff and will raise money in the first quarter, while Amyris said it has sufficient caputal to take it through demonstration of its technology.

LS9 co-founder and Energy Biosciences Institute director Dr. Chris Somerville said that the impact is less in the venture markets than in access to project finance to move companies from pilots and  demonstrations to commercial scale.

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