Symbio has joined the Circular Bioeconomy Innovation Collaborative (CBIO), a regional coalition working to advance circular bioeconomy development in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The Collaborative brings together partners across agriculture, research institutions, industry, workforce development, and community organizations to strengthen the region’s bio-based innovation ecosystem.

CBIO was launched in 2023 with support from a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines Development award and formally entered its implementation phase in 2025 following a two-year strategic planning effort. Its structure includes leadership and steering committees focused on research, workforce development, community engagement, and industry coordination.

Symbio’s work in transforming agricultural and food system byproducts into higher-value applications aligns with CBIO’s regional focus on biomass utilization and sustainable biomanufacturing. Participation in the Collaborative provides an opportunity to engage more directly with local feedstock suppliers, research partners, and industry stakeholders operating within California’s agricultural heartland.

Through this membership, Symbio will contribute to ongoing conversations and projects aimed at strengthening regional supply chains and advancing practical circular bioeconomy solutions. The goal is steady, collaborative progress toward more resilient and resource-efficient food and agricultural systems.

Symbio Bioculinary was featured on the front page of The Pantagraph newspaper, in an article highlighting the startup’s pioneering work in precision fermentation and sustainable food innovation.

The feature showcased Symbio’s innovative approach to transforming food manufacturing waste into valuable ingredients using engineered Aspergillus organisms. The article detailed how the company’s technology addresses both environmental challenges and economic opportunities in the food industry.

“It’s exciting to see regional media recognizing the importance of biotechnology innovation happening right here in Illinois,” said Elliott Notrica, Founder and CEO of Symbio Bioculinary. “This coverage helps raise awareness about how precision fermentation can create sustainable solutions for food manufacturers while building economic value from waste streams.”

The Pantagraph article explored Symbio’s work with major food industry partners and its development of modular bioprocessing systems targeting waste streams in baking, chocolate manufacturing, and other food processing sectors. The piece also highlighted the company’s role in central Illinois’ growing biotech ecosystem.

Symbio Bioculinary was featured by WGLT, the NPR affiliate serving central Illinois, for its work in sustainable food manufacturing, food-waste upcycling, and circular food systems. The feature highlighted Symbio’s use of engineered microbial bioprocessing to transform excess bakery dough, cocoa husks, and other byproducts into high-value, usable ingredients.

Founder Elliott Notrica noted the company’s goal to scale chef-inspired solutions:

“I got interested in how we can take the solutions that chefs were implementing at a very small size and allow them to be implemented at a larger scale.”

The coverage also explored Symbio’s ongoing projects, including cocoa husk valorization:

“What we’re working on right now is extracting these oils from the cocoa husk and then producing a cocoa butter substitute with the same functionality and the same sensory attributes as the butter itself.”

The story positioned Symbio at the forefront of central Illinois’ growing biotech ecosystem, demonstrating how its modular upcycling systems can reduce food waste, create new ingredients, and support sustainable manufacturing.

Symbio Bioculinary has been selected as a World Business Chicago (WBC) Startup Portfolio Company, as confirmed by its inclusion on the official Chicago Venture Summit Startup Portfolio listing. This designation recognizes the company as part of a group of high-potential ventures contributing to Chicago’s innovation economy.

World Business Chicago’s Startup Portfolio highlights emerging companies that demonstrate strong market potential, industry leadership, and alignment with the city’s strategic growth sectors. Symbio Bioculinary’s inclusion reflects its role in advancing new capabilities within food biotechnology, circular economy solutions, and sustainable manufacturing technologies.

The company develops bioprocessing platforms, ingredient innovations, and upcycled-material technologies that support more resilient and environmentally aligned supply chains for manufacturers. Its selection to the WBC portfolio underscores the increasing relevance of these solutions across the food, agriculture, and industrial biotech sectors.

As part of the WBC ecosystem, Symbio Bioculinary is positioned within a network of investors, industry partners, and civic stakeholders working to strengthen Chicago’s position as a global hub for food innovation and climate-aligned industry.

Symbio Bioculinary was selected to pitch at the TechRise competition, an initiative by P33 aimed at supporting early-stage innovators in the Chicago tech ecosystem. The program identifies promising founders and provides opportunities to showcase their businesses to a network of investors, mentors, and corporate partners.

The competition recognizes Symbio’s work in sustainable food manufacturing and upcycling food industry byproducts. Using food-safe microbial bioprocessing, Symbio transforms surplus bakery dough, cocoa husks, and other food production materials into high-value, functional ingredients, helping manufacturers reduce waste while creating new economic opportunities.

“Being selected for TechRise is a great opportunity to share our work with a wider audience and connect with investors and partners who are passionate about sustainable food innovation” said Elliott Notrica, Founder and CEO of Symbio Bioculinary.

TechRise provides Symbio with access to a network of mentors, potential partners, and funding opportunities, further supporting the company’s mission to develop circular food systems and scale its impact in the Midwest and beyond.

Symbio Bioculinary has been selected as a TEDxNormal 2026 speaker, recognizing the company’s leadership in sustainable food manufacturing, food-waste upcycling, and microbial bioprocessing technologies. The TEDx platform allows Symbio to share its innovative solutions for transforming food production byproducts—such as excess bakery dough and cocoa husks—into high-value, functional ingredients.

Speaking at TEDxNormal provides Symbio with a unique opportunity to engage directly with the central Illinois community, including local entrepreneurs, students, investors, and civic leaders. For a food biotech startup based in a smaller town, this visibility fosters regional awareness, strengthens local networks, and highlights how cutting-edge food technology can thrive outside traditional tech hubs.

The event also positions Symbio as a model for small-town innovation, demonstrating that breakthroughs in circular food systems and sustainable manufacturing are not limited to large metropolitan areas. By sharing its story at TEDxNormal, Symbio underscores the impact that a locally based biotech startup can have on both the regional economy and the future of sustainable food production.

Symbio Bioculinary has been named a Top 50 team in the 2026 Baylor New Venture Competition (NVC), a national entrepreneurship contest organized by Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. The recognition highlights Symbio’s work in sustainable food manufacturing, food-waste upcycling, and bioprocessing technologies that convert surplus bakery, cocoa, and other food production materials into high-value ingredients.

As a Top 50 team, Symbio is eligible to advance to subsequent rounds of the competition, where it will present its business plan and capital table for evaluation by the NVC judges. Teams advancing to the Top 10 are invited to compete on-site at Baylor University, with opportunities to receive awards and further recognition.

The Baylor New Venture Competition is widely regarded as a platform for early-stage innovators to gain exposure to investors, mentors, and industry leaders while receiving expert feedback to refine business models. Symbio’s inclusion underscores its position as a leading emerging company in the circular food economy and food technology sector.

Symbio Bioculinary was selected as one of six startups to present at the Startup Alley Happy Hour during 1871 Food Tech, a premier event connecting innovators, restaurateurs, and investors in the food technology sector. The feature, titled “A Conversation with Kevin Boehm: Co-Founder of Boka Restaurant Group, James Beard Winner, and Author,” highlighted thought leadership and innovation in the food and restaurant industries.

During the event, Symbio pitched its sustainable food manufacturing and food-waste upcycling technologies, demonstrating how microbial bioprocessing can transform surplus bakery dough, cocoa husks, and other production byproducts into high-value, functional ingredients. The Startup Alley format provided an intimate networking environment for Symbio to engage directly with investors, industry professionals, and culinary leaders, showcasing its impact on circular food systems and sustainable manufacturing.

Participation in 1871 Food Tech positions Symbio among a select group of emerging food tech innovators, reinforcing the company’s role as a leader in applying biotechnology to solve real-world challenges in the food industry while fostering connections with key stakeholders in Chicago’s culinary and technology ecosystem.

Symbio CEO Elliott Notrica has been selected to receive a Novoensis scholarship as a young innovator to attend the inaugural Stanford Fermented Foods Conference.

The scholarship program supports emerging leaders in fermentation science, providing access to cutting-edge research presentations and networking opportunities with academic and industry pioneers in the field.

The Inaugural Stanford Fermented Foods Conference is organized by the Sonnenburg lab in collaboration with food scientist and chef David Zilber and the Stanford school of Bioengineering. The event brings together researchers, chefs, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to advance the science and application of fermentation across food systems, from traditional fermented foods to precision fermentation technologies. 

“This is an incredible opportunity to engage with the leading minds in fermentation science,” said Notrica. “The insights and connections from this conference will directly inform our work transforming food waste into valuable ingredients through precision fermentation.”

Symbio Bioculinary develops engineered Aspergillus-based bioprocessing systems that convert food manufacturing waste streams into specialty ingredients, targeting applications in baking, chocolate production, and other food processing sectors.