Dawin Bioprospecting Excellence

Based in the Scientific Parc of the University of Valencia, Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence S.L. operates as a specialized microbial biotechnology firm, providing bespoke microbial solutions for industrial applications. The company was founded in 2017 as a spin-off from the University of Valencia (UV) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) by a team of scientists and industry experts. Key figures in its establishment include researchers Manuel Porcar Miralles, who now serves as CEO, and Cristina Vilanova, the current COO. Porcar holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and is a senior researcher at the University of Valencia's I2SysBio, with over 100 research publications and patents, while Vilanova has a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and is an expert in bioprospecting and multi-omic technologies. Their academic and research backgrounds in microbial ecology and synthetic biology form the scientific foundation of the company.

Darwin's business model is centered on providing end-to-end, customized research and development projects for its clients. This service encompasses the entire bioprospecting process, from initial sample collection to the isolation, identification, characterization, and large-scale production of microorganisms tailored to specific industrial needs. The company generates revenue primarily through these service-based projects and has also entered into royalty-based agreements. Its target markets are diverse, including the food and beverage industry for creating custom starters for products like bread, beer, and wine; the agricultural sector for developing plant probiotics; and environmental management for applications in waste degradation. The firm also serves the biomedical and cosmetic sectors by sourcing microorganisms for probiotics and antioxidants.

The company's core service is its ability to discover and cultivate microorganisms from a wide range of environments, leveraging proprietary methodologies that increase the number of cultivable microbes from any given sample. This allows access to a previously untapped microbial diversity. Its technical capabilities include advanced techniques for isolating and cultivating microorganisms, high-throughput screening platforms, next-generation DNA sequencing (specifically Nanopore technology), and a pilot plant for fermentation and lyophilization. A significant milestone was the development of MOSAIK, a proprietary 4D culturomics platform, in 2022. By 2023, the company had expanded its collection to over 5,000 strains. More recently, Darwin has gained attention for its research into microorganisms capable of biodegrading microplastics, a project that received a funding boost from energy company Repsol in 2025.

Keywords: microbial biotechnology, bioprospecting, custom microorganisms, industrial microbiology, microbial solutions, food starters, agricultural probiotics, environmental bioremediation, microbial fermentation, DNA sequencing, culturomics, University of Valencia spin-off, microbial diversity, custom starter cultures, waste degradation microbes, plant probiotics, cosmetic probiotics, nanoparticle biosynthesis, applied microbiology, microbial ecology, synthetic biology