Delaware science institute nabs big-name collabo with Cali’s Zymergen

The Science Technology and Research Institute of Delaware (STRIDE) has entered a research and development agreement with the California molecular technology company Zymergen.

Zymergen has gotten some big press recently for its diversity — Vanity Fair reported in April that a third of its software engineers are women in a time when Facebook, Google and Uber haven’t cracked 20 percent — and for its innovative use of machine learning (the science behind AI) in biotechnology. The project with STRIDE will focus on developing new technology for applications such as films, coatings and adhesives.

“We are excited to be working with Zymergen in our labs here in Delaware,” said Dr. Seetha Coleman-Kammula, CEO of STRIDE. “When Zymergen approached us, we quickly put together an excellent team of experts in films, coatings, adhesives and analytical chemistry and gathered the necessary laboratory infrastructure to help them get to market faster and more efficiently. This is at the heart of our value proposition.”

Founded in 2016, STRIDE is a consultancy and R&D organization with labs at the Delaware Innovation Space in Wilmington and the University of Delaware campus in Newark.