Digzyme Co

Digzyme Co., founded in 2019, is a biotechnology company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, that operates an enzyme development platform. The firm was co-founded by Naoki Watarai (CEO), Yuya Nakamura (CTO), and Takuji Yamada (CSO). Watarai and Nakamura established the company while studying at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, where Yamada concurrently serves as an Associate Professor. The founding team combines academic prowess with industry experience; Nakamura previously worked in R&D at Chugai Pharmaceutical, and the leadership includes veterans from companies like Novozymes Japan and investment banking.

The company's core business is transforming enzyme development from a process reliant on chance discovery to a proactive, data-driven design process. It leverages bioinformatics and a vast accumulation of life science research data to efficiently design genes for enzymes suited for industrial use. Digzyme serves clients across various sectors, including food, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, by providing solutions for bio-process development, such as creating alternatives to petrochemical-derived products and breaking down waste materials. Its business model includes consulting services for new business development centered around enzymes, the creation of custom enzyme libraries, and research and development services for the production and sale of enzymes and compounds.

Digzyme offers several specialized products and services. The "digzyme Designed Library™" is a collection of tailor-made enzymes ready for industrial applications. This is powered by two proprietary information analysis platforms: "digzyme Moonlight™" for enzyme discovery and "digzyme Spotlight™" for modification. The company also offers a subscription-based custom library creation service called "digzyme Custom Enzyme Lab™" and "digzyme Express™," a platform focused on non-genetically modified enzyme solutions for the food industry. A key milestone was a Series A funding round on April 23, 2024, where the company raised approximately $4.72 million to accelerate business development, led by investors including DG Daiwa Ventures and Mobile Internet Capital.

Keywords: enzyme development, bioinformatics, industrial enzymes, bioprocess development, gene design, custom enzyme library, precision fermentation, biotechnology platform, biocatalysis, molecular modeling, enzyme screening, bio-retrosynthesis, non-GM enzymes, life sciences, chemical process development, waste decomposition, substance synthesis, food technology, pharmaceutical applications, petrochemical alternatives