Solugen
Reviewed active Updated Mar 19, 2026This profile is AI-generated. If you spot an error, please help us fix it by sharing a URL to the correct information.
Investors
Founders
About
Solugen is a biotech company founded in 2016 by Gaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt that replaces petroleum-based chemicals with plant-derived substitutes 1. The company combines enzyme engineering with chemical processing to create carbon-negative chemicals from renewable feedstock such as dextrose 2. Solugen is headquartered in Houston, TX and graduated from Y Combinator’s 2017 batch 3.
Funding History
| Round | Date | Amount | Lead Investor(s) | Notable Co-Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | Oct 2017 | $4.4M | Y Combinator | Refactor Capital, Liquid 2 Ventures, Social Capital 4 |
| Series A | Oct 2018 | $18.8M | Fifty Years, Founders Fund, Y Combinator | — 5 |
| Series B | May 2019 | $32M | Founders Fund | Y Combinator, Refactor Capital, Fifty Years, KdT Ventures 56 |
| Series C | Sep 2021 | $357M | GIC, Baillie Gifford | Temasek, BlackRock, Carbon Direct, Refactor Capital, Fifty Years 27 |
| Series D | Nov 2022 | $200M | Kinnevik, Lowercarbon Capital, Refactor Capital | Temasek, Baillie Gifford, Fifty Years 89 |
What Investors Say
No independently sourced investor quotes found at this time.
What Founders Say
Gaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt were named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 national award winners 10. The company’s founding story traces back to a conversation at a med school poker game between the two co-founders 1.
Sources
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“About Us,” Solugen website, accessed March 2026. https://solugen.com/about/↩↩
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“Solugen Raises Over $350 Million in Series C Funding Led by Baillie Gifford & GIC to Make Carbon Negative Chemicals,” PR Newswire, September 9, 2021, accessed March 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solugen-raises-over-350-million-in-series-c-funding-led-by-baillie-gifford–gic-to-make-carbon-negative-chemicals-301372755.html↩↩
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“Solugen: Decarbonizing the chemicals industry,” Y Combinator, accessed March 2026. https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/solugen↩
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“Plant-based Peroxide-Maker Solugen Raises $4.4m Seed Round from Y Combinator, Joe Montana’s VC, others,” AgFunderNews, accessed March 2026. https://agfundernews.com/plant-based-peroxide-maker-solugen-raises-4-4m-seed-round-y-combinator-liquid-2-others↩
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“Solugen Funding Rounds, Valuation & Investors,” Wellfound, accessed March 2026. https://wellfound.com/company/solugen/funding↩↩
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“Solugen - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding,” Crunchbase, accessed March 2026. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/solugen↩
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“Solugen raises $357 million to make chemicals from sugar, not petroleum,” CNBC, September 9, 2021, accessed March 2026. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/09/solugen-raises-357-million-to-make-chemicals-and-plastic-from-plants.html↩
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“Solugen Raises Over $200 Million Series D to Reimagine the Chemistry of Everyday Life,” Solugen blog, October 31, 2022, accessed March 2026. https://solugen.com/blog/2022/10/31/solugen-raises-over-200-million-to-reimagine-the-chemistry-of-everyday-life/↩
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“Solugen raises over $200 million Series D to reimagine the chemistry of everyday life,” PR Newswire, accessed March 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solugen-raises-over-200-million-series-d-to-reimagine-the-chemistry-of-everyday-life-301666772.html↩
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“Solugen Founders Named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ 2023 National Award Winners by EY,” Solugen website, accessed March 2026. https://solugen.com/solugen-founders-named-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2023-national-award-winners-by-ey↩