What is Checkerspot?
Checkerspot is a materials innovation company that’s shaking up the manufacturing world by designing performance materials at a molecular level. How? By optimizing microbes to biomanufacture unique structural oils found in nature — but oils that were never before accessible at commercial scale. This isn’t just science for science’s sake. Checkerspot is a certified B Corporation with a clear mission: to expand the palette of molecular building blocks for high-performance and sustainable materials. Their first materials? Next-generation polyurethanes and textile finishes that boost the performance of consumer products. You might already know them through WNDR Alpine, where their engineered composites are making skis and snowboards perform better, or through their partnership with Beyond Surface Technologies, where algal oil is formulated into miDori® BioWick.
Main Benefits of Checkerspot’s Innovation
Checkerspot’s approach brings some serious advantages to the table:
- B Corp Score: An impressive 90.7, reflecting strong social and environmental performance.
- Materials Science & Innovation: Leveraging synthetic biology and biomanufacturing to create designed materials.
- Scalable Production: Using precision fermentation to produce high-value fats and oils reliably and sustainably.
- Performance Boost: Their materials improve durability and functionality in products like skis, snowboards, and textiles.
- Sustainability Focus: Reducing reliance on volatile natural sources by tailoring molecules for specific applications.
Tailored Molecules for Better Food and Nutrition
Checkerspot’s technology isn’t just about materials for gear — it’s also revolutionizing food and nutrition. By harnessing precision fermentation, they produce healthier, more stable alternatives to conventional fats and oils. These aren’t your average ingredients; they’re tailored molecules designed to optimize lipid profiles, delivering pure, bioavailable, and sustainable solutions that support human development at every stage of life. Imagine fats that not only taste better but also improve texture and structure, all while being kinder to the planet. That’s the kind of impact Checkerspot is making in the food system.
Advanced Platform Capabilities
At the heart of Checkerspot’s innovation lies a powerful platform built on advanced algal strain improvement. This means they can optimize lipid production and efficiency with laser focus, ensuring each molecule is crafted for a precise outcome. Before scaling up, microbes undergo rigorous testing, guaranteeing quality and consistency. The result? An infinitely renewable supply of tailored ingredients ready to transform industries — from food and nutrition to biomaterials and beyond. It’s a seamless integration of biotechnology and market-ready solutions, designed to meet real-world demands.
One Microbe, Limitless Possibilities
It’s pretty amazing when you think about it — one microbe, and the possibilities are endless. Checkerspot tailors high-value fats and oils with zero impurities or contaminants, cutting out the inefficiencies of traditional sources. Their strain improvement technology targets rare or sometimes unavailable molecules in nature, fine-tuned for food, nutrition, and other applications. Plus, by partnering with others, they scale these innovations commercially, ensuring a reliable and cost-effective supply chain. The future of innovation really does start at the molecular level, and Checkerspot is right at the forefront, crafting molecules that solve today’s toughest problems.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – Enhancing nutrition with bioavailable, sustainable fats and oils.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Pioneering biomanufacturing and synthetic biology for new materials.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Creating scalable, renewable supply chains that reduce waste.
- SDG 13: Climate Action – Offering sustainable alternatives to traditional fats and materials, lowering environmental impact.
- SDG 15: Life on Land – Reducing reliance on volatile natural sources, protecting ecosystems.
Checkerspot’s Vision for a Sustainable Future
Checkerspot isn’t just innovating for today — they’re shaping a future where molecular design drives sustainability and performance hand in hand. By bridging biotechnology with real-world applications, they’re creating a more reliable supply chain and expanding what’s possible in materials science. Whether it’s crafting better fats for food or engineering high-performance composites for outdoor gear, their work is a testament to how precision and passion can lead to big impact. It’s a future where molecules matter — and Checkerspot is tailoring them to solve the challenges of tomorrow.
