Renaissance BioScience uses AI to map 750 wild yeast strains

In an exciting move for the functional food and beverage landscape, Renaissance BioScience Corp. has announced an advanced genomic project to build a proprietary, searchable library of wild yeast.

Partnering with Genome BC and UBC, the project will utilise a high-tech “discovery platform” to characterise over 750 wild yeast strains. By combining advanced metagenomics with artificial intelligence (AI), Renaissance intends to identify and commercialise valuable natural traits at a much faster speed than traditional screening methods.

While yeast has been domesticated for millennia, the vast majority of its natural genetic diversity remains a “black box” for industry. This project aims to change that by creating a searchable, data-driven engine.

The AI-powered platform will:

• Scan genomic datasets to predict how specific strains will behave in industrial environments.
• Identify “hidden” traits such as specialised flavour profiles, high-performance fermentation, or the production of rare molecules.
• Drastically reduce R&D timelines, allowing manufacturers to find the exact “microbial workhorse” needed for a specific product quickly and efficiently.

A core objective of the initiative is valorisation — the process of turning low-value waste streams into high-value products. Renaissance aims to use these “wild” strains to develop a suite of value-added molecules from raw, unprocessed sources:

• Enzymes & emulsifiers: for cleaner-label processing.
• Biosurfactants: sustainable alternatives to chemical foaming and mixing agents.
• Nutraceuticals: bio-available compounds for specialised nutrition.

These applications span beyond the pantry, with potential impacts on agriculture, energy, and broader industrial markets.

The $550,000 project is funded in part by a GeneSolve grant from Genome BC and will be led by Dr Vivien Measday at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. By merging UBC’s world-class research infrastructure with Renaissance’s industrial expertise, the partnership bridges the gap between lab-scale discovery and commercial-scale production.

“This project represents a major strategic investment in building a long-term yeast discovery engine,” said Dr John Husnik, co-CEO and CSO of Renaissance BioScience. “We are building a permanent, data-driven platform that strengthens our IP and creates repeatable pathways to commercialisation.”

As food manufacturers face rising costs and a demand for more sustainable “circular” ingredients, the ability to harvest molecules from waste via yeast offers a dual benefit: cost reduction and environmental compliance. This proprietary library could help deliver the next generation of bio-based food tech.