Pembient was founded in 2015 by Matthew Markus and George Bonaci and is located in Seattle, Washington. Pembient is a biotechnology company producing bio-fabricated horn using DNA and 3D printed keratin. Pembient's original goal was to combat wildlife poaching by producing horn and other animal parts to be used for medicinal purposes at significantly less cost than anything produced through illegal wildlife trade - a $20 billion black market.
Opportunity
Fine Tooth Horn Comb
Pembient discovered a greater market size when they realized that carved rhino horn was a significant factor in increased poaching demand; rather than just medicinal use. Rhino horn is unique in that is is solid; unlike the horns of cows and elephants whose horns are hollow. Rhino horn provides a good carving medium as it can be made into large solid objects. As there is only an estimated 20,000 rhinos left in the world, the cost for their horn is exponential - approximately $60,000 per kilogram. Pembient plans to use modern technology to manufacture horn cylinders and sell them at a fraction of the cost which in turn will undermine poachers and put an end to rhino poaching. These can be sold to artisans, designers, carvers and other manufacturers.
Pembient claims that horn is a bioplastic and if it can be produced in abundance it can replace petroleum plastic as a material. Pembient's CEO envisions a future with everyday products made from bio-degradable horn.
Horn Bangles
Product
The Process
Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same family of protein found in hair, skin, nails, and hooves. In order to develop a prototype quickly, Pembient’s initial rhino horn prototypes were developed using cellular agriculture. The prototypes were reformulated from sheep’s wool because wool also contains keratin. However, they realized that the horn's material properties - for example, texture, was not an exact replicate of real rhino horn and would be difficult to carve. Pembient decided to move towards a tissue-engineering approach; growing the horn rather than printing it. The group wants to persuade stem cells from a rhino or other creature to develop into keratinocytes, which they would then embed onto a scaffold.
An early prototype of Pembient’s rhino horn, made from wool as a starting material.
Another prototype of the rhino-free horn
Technologies
Pembient is exploring the best technology to bio-fabricate horn.
Company Patents
Synthetic rhinoceros horn analogues
Matthew Markus, George Bonaci
Application
October 5, 2017
US20170281688A1 (US)
Timeline
Partner of the Cellular Agriculture Society (CAS)
PembiCoin Initial Coin Offering (ICO)
A PembiCoin is a blockchain-based token that allows its holder to take delivery of one gram of biofabricated horn in the year 2022
Crowdfunding of Black Rhino Genome Sequencing Project
Pembient admitted to IndieBio Accelerator
IndieBio is a four month business accelerator program which awards $50,000 and mentors biotech start-up companies using synthetic biology.
Pembient Founded by Matthew Marcus and George Bonaci
George Bonaci and Matthew Markus on a roof in Seattle, where Pembient got started.
Funding rounds
People
Further reading
3D-printed rhino horns will be ready in two years, but will they save the rhinos?
Lily Kuo
A biotech startup is trying to end poaching by flooding the market with fake rhino horns
Jeremy Berke
A Controversial High-Tech Plan to Save Earth's Last Rhinos
Maya Craig
Biologist aims to grow rhino horns to save animals from poachers | The Star
Raveena Aulakh
Can Biotech Save the Rhino?
Jacob Roberts
Can Fake Rhino Horn Stop the Poaching of a Species at Risk?
Jani Actman
Can tech save the rhino?
Michele Hollow
CEO behind synthetic rhino horn answers critics
Aaron Fronda
Conservationists take note: 3D printing rhino horn won't increase poaching
Matthew Markus
Here's how and why this Seattle startup is bioengineering rhino horns - Puget Sound Business Journal
Annie Zak
How tech is fighting back for endangered rhino - CNN
Pete Kowalczyk, for CNN
How Technology May Help Save the Rhino From Extinction
Laura Krantz
NGOs and Biotech Startups Offer Different Solutions to Rhino Poaching | RADII China
Josh Feola
Pembient - Bioengineered Wildlife Products - SynBioBeta
Sachin Rawat
Synthetic rhino horn ready 'in two years'
Matt McGrath
Synthetic rhino horns could alter black market
Aaran Fronda
Synthetic Rhinoceros Horns Spark Economic Debate on Conservation
Olivia Trani
The Age of Biotech: Can Bioengineered Rhino Horns Bring An End to Poaching?
Robert Sanders
Why Pembient is Confident in Biofabricated Rhino Horn
Matthew Markus
Documentaries, videos and podcasts
3D Printing Rhino Horns Can Stop Poaching in Africa
August 13, 2015
A Seattle Startup's Plan To Curb Rhino Poaching With Bioengineering
February 4, 2015
Artificial rhino horn will stamp out poaching trade, says biologist | CBC Radio
October 7, 2016
E596: Matthew Markus’ Pembient is creating synthetic rhino horns to disrupt an illegal $750m trade and halt the acceleration of rhinoceros endangerment | This Week In Startups
November 17, 2015
Envision a World Without Wildlife Poaching ... Uber Disrupts Transportation| Airbnb Disrupts Hotels| Amazon Disrupts Food | Pembient Disrupts Wildlife Poaching! - with Matthew Markus - RedZone
January 5, 2018
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