LS9, Inc is a biotechnology startup located in South San Francisco, specializing in the development of renewable biofuels using synthetic biology

Synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is a new area of biological research that combines science and engineering. It encompasses a variety of different approaches, methodologies, and disciplines with a variety of definitions...

. Describing itself as being in the "prerevenue" stage,, it has received some $20m in funding from Khosla Ventures

Khosla Ventures

Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on early stage companies in the Internet, computing, mobile, silicon technology and clean technology sectors....

 and Flagship Ventures.

LS9's CEO is Ed Dineen. Stephen del Cardayre is the vice president of research and development.

LS9's products include "UltraClean fuels". LS9's website claims that these "can go directly into vehicles without engine modification"; that they "have fuel properties that are essentially indistinguishable from those of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel"; that they "contain no carcinogens like benzene (commonly found in petroleum) and only trace amounts of sulfur". LS9 also has a multi-year collaboration with Proctor and Gamble to develop bio-based chemicals.

LS9 has a pilot plant in South San Francisco. Fuel from this plant has been tested by the American Society for Testing and Materials and the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum

National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Brazil)

The Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels is the federal government agency linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy responsible for the regulation of the oil sector.-External links:*...

, which approved it to be used in vehicles on US and Brazilian roads.

LS9 has acquired a production site at Okeechobee, Florida

Okeechobee, Florida

Okeechobee is a city in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,376 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,784. It is the county seat of Okeechobee County. The Speckled Perch Festival is held annually in honor of the most...

. LS9 claims the plant will "pave the way for large-scale manufacturing and sales in 2012".

LS9 uses a proprietary technology called Renewable Petroleum. According to LS9's website, engineered microbes convert sugar feedstocks into fuels and chemicals. It claims, "LS9 has developed a new means of efficiently converting fatty acid intermediates into petroleum replacement products via fermentation of renewable sugars."

On feedstocks, LS9's website says, "This translates into efficient land and feedstock use and directly addresses tensions between food versus fuel and chemical production". Initially it will use sugar cane syrup as a feedstock, but later plans to make use of celluslose materials such as wood chips, agricultural residues, and sorghum.