Gov. Reynolds, ISU President Wendy Wintersteen Join BioMADE Groundbreaking Ceremony

By Robin Opsahl

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen celebrated the expansion of bioindustrial manufacturing in Iowa as they joined executives of BioMADE at the ISU BioCentury Research Farm Friday for a groundbreaking ceremony.

The event celebrated the kickoff of the $40 million project to bring BioMADE, a Manufacturing Innovation Institute backed by the U.S. Department of Defense, to the ISU facility. The Iowa facility was funded using $10 million from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, $10 million from ISU and $20 million from BioMADE, in addition to receiving support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The site, which measures 15,000 square feet, will be a pilot-scale biomanufacturing plant in Boone, designed to support the development and research of bioindustrial products to bring them to commercial and defense markets. The project includes plans to expand the ISU’s fermentation facilities, with 5,000 and 10,000-liter industrial fermenters, as well as lab space and downstream processing capabilities, for businesses to use to test products before deciding whether to move ahead with investing in their own manufacturing facilities for a product.

Reynolds said that nearly a year prior to the event ISU and BioMADE leaders visited her office to showcase their vision for the project.

“It was a bold, practical plan to bring together Iowa’s strengths in agriculture, research and manufacturing to build something truly transformative — and what an incredible moment it is to see all of that take shape today,” Reynolds said. “Today’s milestone is a reflection of the power of partnerships and the potential that it creates when government, industry and academia work side by side.”

Reynolds said Iowa and ISU in particular are a great fit for the project, as the university is already a leader on biomanufacturing, production and research, saying “the type of expertise and infrastructure that’s needed already exists” for BioMADE’s goals at the ISU BioCentury Research Farm.

“This new pilot (and) scaled-up facility helps complete Iowa’s biomanufacturing ecosystem,” Reynolds said. “It will take the discoveries from the lab and scale them into real world applications, accelerating American research and development, creating great new jobs and ensuring that breakthroughs developed in this country are made in this country.”

BioMADE CEO Douglas Friedman said that alongside the Iowa facility, the organization has also launched similar pilot projects in California and Minnesota with different production capacities and equipment, filling “a critical gap” in pilot and demonstration infrastructure, allowing for businesses to experiment with different products and materials throughout the country.

Wintersteen said much of the work already being done by researchers and faculty at the ISU facility is already focused on “identifying and fulfilling the critical gaps” in bringing products to market in bioindustrial fields, and that there will be opportunities for collaboration between the university and BioMADE.

“It will also serve as a hub for hands-on training and workforce development, preparing the next generation of bio-processing engineers and scientists,” Wintersteen said. “So we’re excited about what’s going to happen here, and the faculty that will be working here, and their efforts and efforts of many others that will produce key breakthroughs in bio-manufacturing.”

Friedman also said these pilot projects are crucial for “leading the way to more bio-based products being manufactured right here in America.” In Iowa, there will be a specific focus on food-grade capabilities — “ingredients like prebiotics, probiotics, sweeteners, flavors,” he said.

“We’ll be able to tie into the robust biomanufacturing ecosystem that is already present here in Iowa,” Friedman said.

Friedman also praised state government and ISU leaders for allowing the project to move forward quickly, “at a speed that makes sense in this era of global competition.” The facility is scheduled to open in 2027.

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