How OpenTrons Is Disrupting Lab Automation

California-based investment firm SP Investment Fund is at the forefront of investing capital in emergent technologies in the life sciences, robotics, and biotechnology fields. One such investment is SP Investment Fund's investment in the laboratory equipment manufacturer OpenTrons, which aims to streamline routine procedures in the biotechnology industry.

OpenTrons develops robots and open-source software that allow biologists to automate pipetting and other repetitive tasks. Currently, performing these sensitive tasks reduces the amount of time biologists can devote to analytics and other important work. While there are automated machines on the market, many are too expensive for smaller labs. Further, configuring these machines can be complex, and require intense training to operate properly.

OpenTrons hardware, labware and workstations offer easy-to-use and customizable pipetting machines at an affordable price point. The accompanying software allows biologists to program endless combinations of workflows and protocols with little specialized training. The company's use of open-source software also encourages the development of proprietary add-ons. For example, researchers at the Mayo Clinic created FusX, a gene-editing system that they now employ using OpenTrons technology.

Palm Oil’s Devastating Impact on the Environment

California-based real estate and startup investment company SP Investment Fund has funded affordable housing developments across the country. SP Investment Fund is also an early investor in C16 Biosciences, a company developing a sustainable form of palm oil derived from byproducts.

Palm oil is found in food, beauty products, and biofuels. For this reason, it is one of the most in-demand crops in the world. However, current farming methods have caused widespread environmental damage in producer countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Some of the most serious issues include:

Greenhouse gas emissions: Since palm oil is such a lucrative crop, farmers often convert large swaths of carbon sequestering rainforests into plantations. Clearing out forest flora can also raise soil temperatures, which triggers methane release.

Deforestation: The demand for palm oil drives farmers to destroy millions of hectares of rainforest. This destroys the habitat of tropical animals, reduces biodiversity, and contributes to soil erosion.

Polluted waterways: Palm oil processing produces chemical residues that can leak into groundwater. An average palm oil mill produces more than 2 metric tons of waste for every metric ton of usable palm oil.