In the race to offer alternative protein-based products, overcoming the 'valley of death' is one of the biggest challenges with 90% of SynBio technologies failing to scale. This is because R&D is expensive and slow – it typically takes three to 10 years to go from lab to market, at US$10,000-100,000 per experiment. Many companies run out of money before they are even viable, let alone optimal. AI can revolutionize bioprocess R&D, making it quicker, more effective and lower cost. With the inherent complexities and interdependencies in synthetic biology, AI tools can help users navigate the huge web of decisions and possibilities to uncover where opportunities lie. Data-backed decisions allow targeting of precious budgets and experimentation where it will be most effective, reducing costly trial and error and streamlining the path to scalable production. That's why New Wave Biotech is developing AI Downstream Process Optimization software. The platform can simulate thousands of processes to predict yield, quality, cost and sustainability; recommend the ones with the highest potential to experimentally test; and learn from that experimental data to further improve the process. This brings R&D into the AI age, reducing cost, increasing effectiveness, and reducing risk on the journey from lab to production. New Wave Biotech foresees a future where R&D is no longer the bottleneck but the accelerator for sustainable, affordable, and high-quality alternative proteins. Zoe will demonstrate how AI is becoming an essential part of the toolkit for alternative protein companies aiming to bring their products to the masses sustainably and affordably.

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