Japan-based biochemical company Kuraray has announced that it will invest $4m in Amyris, a US-based developer of renewable petroleum substitutes.
The agreement has stemmed from an extended partnership between the two companies, which will see Kuraray providing Amyris with an undisclosed amount of collaboration funding over the next two years.
The original partnership began in 2011 and the extension, including the added investment, means that Amyris will be able to focus on developing a renewable type of rubber.
Founded in 1926, Kuraray has a long history in development of resins, chemicals, fibres and textiles and its experience in bringing new chemical products to market will help the commercialisation of Amyris’ renewable rubber products. Kuraray has subsidiaries in over 19 other countries and it recently acquired Monosol, a company that creates sustainable water-based soluble delivery systems.