A Burnaby-born startup has a vision to make the chemical industry sustainable by harnessing the potential of enzymes.
Anodyne Chemistries, founded in 2021, is the entity behind an enzymatic process that “combines the best of biology and electrochemistry to bypass the limitations of traditional petrochemical and fermentation processes.”
As “factories of nature,” enzymes perform the chemical transformations of the living world. Anodyne’s industrialized enzymes produce an array of sustainable chemicals and fuels which directly substitute for otherwise fossil-based versions.
Anodyne’s range of chemicals utilize its patented Anozymes, which the firm has engineered so that they can be powered using electricity.
Staking a claim as the world’s first “bioelectric manufacturer,” B.C.’s Anodyne secured seed funding in 2024.
“Anodyne is on track to become a critical enabler of decarbonization in the chemical industry, defining a new segment in a multi-trillion dollar industry,” Dr. Iain Evans, chief executive officer of Anodyne, stated last year. “The company’s success to date proves that there is significant demand for bioelectric methods of chemical production.”
Anodyne has been using the funding to scale up its development of its C-Series product line, establish its first multi-product pilot plant, and deepen its executive and engineering teams.
That includes the hiring of Chartered Professional Accountant Dana Brock as Vice President of Finance in October. Prior to Anodyne, Brock worked at HP following the acquisition of Teradici, where she held the VP Finance role. Previously, she worked at PMC-Sierra and Deloitte.
Foresight Canada, the nation’s largest cleantech accelerator, recently named Anodyne to the annual Foresight 50 list for the first time. The FS50 program has been spotlighting Canada’s most investible cleantech ventures since 2021.
“Our fundamental green chemistry and enzymatic technology have allowed us to create both products and technologies that no-one in our industry currently possesses,” stated Manou Davies, chief science officer for Anodyne, in 2024. “There is no other company today capable of bridging biology and electrochemistry at the level Anodyne is—the things happening inside Anodyne’s labs really do have the potential to change the world for the better.”