Renaissance BioScience Announces Genome BC–Funded Project to Build Proprietary Wild Yeast Discovery Platform

Renaissance BioScience has secured a CAD550,000 (approx. EUR0.37m) GeneSolve grant from Genome BC to develop a proprietary wild yeast discovery platform. The 24-month project, carried out in partnership with University of British Columbia and Dr Vivien Measday, will focus on building and characterising a large library of natural yeast strains for high-value industrial applications.

In the first phase, more than 700 wild yeast strains will be screened and assessed. Selected candidates with promising traits will undergo advanced genomic analysis, with the resulting data integrated into a searchable database designed to accelerate strain identification and commercial deployment. The company said the project will generate extensive genomic and phenotypic datasets, which can also be leveraged using AI tools to support future strain and technology development.

According to Renaissance BioScience, the initial commercial focus will be on identifying yeast strains capable of valorising waste substrates, converting low-value byproducts into higher-value compounds such as enzymes, biosurfactants, emulsifiers and nutraceuticals. These outputs have potential applications across food and specialised nutrition, as well as agriculture, energy and broader industrial sectors.

Through the collaboration, the company will gain access to robotic high-throughput screening systems and advanced sequencing and analytical infrastructure. Renaissance BioScience said the initiative is intended to establish a long-term, data-driven yeast discovery engine, strengthening its intellectual property position and creating repeatable commercialisation pathways across multiple end markets.