Indian precision fermentation startup StrainX Bioworks has raised $13M and self-affirmed one of its ingredients under the US FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) provision, marking a significant commercial milestone for India's emerging biotech sector. The Bhopal-based company operates a full-stack platform, controlling every stage from strain engineering through to downstream processing and manufacturing, a model designed to lower costs and accelerate scale-up toward 10

A filamentous fungus isolated from sugarcane waste can simultaneously clean up toxic filter mud and generate usable bioelectricity, offering a practical solution for small-scale jaggery producers with little waste infrastructure.