StrainX Bioworks, a synthetic biology and precision fermentation company, has raised $13 million (about Rs 124 crore) in funding, as it emerges from stealth mode and gears up for commercial expansion, the company said in a statement. 

Founded by IIT Delhi alumnus Akshay Mittal and Alok Malaviya, StrainX has spent the past two years building its scientific and engineering capabilities while operating in stealth. The company said it has grown to more than 100 scientists, engineers, and operators, and developed an integrated biotechnology platform spanning strain engineering, fermentation, process scale-up, and product development.

The funding round was led by Prime Venture Partners and Leo Capital, and also saw participation from Good Startup, Sparrow Capital, Sun Icon Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, and WindT (IIT Delhi) Angels.

The company positions itself at the intersection of synthetic biology and precision fermentation, technologies that are being adopted across food, nutrition, materials, and consumer health industries amid growing demand for sustainable and resilient manufacturing systems.

The company said it has already completed large-scale fermentation trials and is now working toward significantly larger capacities, including pathways to 100,000-litre scale operations in the near future.

“Biology is becoming a new manufacturing layer for the world,” said StrainX’s founder and chief executive officer Mittal. “Over the coming decade, some of the most important products across food, materials, and consumer industries will increasingly be built using biological systems. India has the scientific talent and engineering capability to become a global leader in this transition, and we believe StrainX is being built at the right moment to help drive that shift,” he added.

Co-founder and chief technical officer Malaviya said India is evolving from a biotech manufacturing base into a global hub for synthetic biology and precision fermentation-led innovation. 

Brij Bhushan, managing partner at Prime Venture Partners, said StrainX stood out for combining “serious science and sharp business execution”, while Rajul Garg, founder and managing partner at Leo Capital, described the company as a “deep-tech biotech company with both ambition and discipline”.

Gautam Godhwani, managing partner at Good Startup, said India’s talent pool, infrastructure and cost advantages position it well for precision fermentation innovation globally. 

As it steps into the public domain, StrainX said it will focus on advancing research and development, expanding its scientific and engineering teams, and accelerating commercialization through large-scale fermentation and global partnerships.