Rui Su
苏睿
Rui Su is the founder and CEO of SynMetabio (贻如生物), a Shanghai-based biomanufacturing startup producing 100% bio-based leather materials through microbial fermentation . He established the company in December 2021 after pivoting from a synthetic biology project at ShanghaiTech University , and previously led a team to iGEM finalist status . Su has described Linear Capital's angel-round investment as the most difficult financing to secure, coming when the company had little more than its concept . In 2024 he guided SynMetabio through a Pre-A round with Linear doubling down, while driving manufacturing cost reductions through strain development and fermentation process changes to achieve cost competitiveness against conventional materials . The company faced severe cash constraints in 2024 after factory construction, at one point suspending salaries for six months . As of early 2026, Su was noted as the youngest founder in Linear Capital's portfolio and remained active in the firm's AI-for-Science events .
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Coverage
AI4S Doesn't Lack Stories; It Lacks Real Commercial Value | Linear Voice
"Discovery" is often not the hardest part.
线性资本·After the Start of Summer, Growing Without Reserve | Linear Quarterly
Abundant sunshine, lush growth.
线性资本·Linear Voice: 2025 in the Linear Capital Network
Those real and important moments.
线性资本·Linear Capital's angel-round lead investment project, *SynMetabio*, has raised tens of millions of RMB in a Pre-A round, with existing investor Linear Capital continuing to double down as a follow-on investor.
The cost of bio-based leather manufacturing has dropped sharply, and a commercial inflection point could arrive next year, with tens of millions of yuan in revenue.
线性资本·"贻如生物" Su Rui: How the World's First Continuously Produced 100% Bio-based Leather Was Achieved | Linear Capital Portfolio Interview Series
Today, SynMetabio, a Linear Capital seed-round lead portfolio company, announced it has raised tens of millions of RMB in a Pre-A round. One year after announcing its seed round from Linear Capital in April 2023, SynMetabio has made significant progress, **including optimizing its entire production process, substantially reducing manufacturing costs, and achieving cost advantages for bio-based materials in most application scenarios.** Next, SynMetabio will build a factory in Changzhou to scale up mass production of its synthetic leather.
线性资本·Synthetic biology startup **SynBioRay** (贻如生物) has raised tens of millions of RMB in funding, with **Linear Capital** leading the angel round.
Using synthetic biotechnology to cultivate 100% bio-based leather.
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