Unlocking critical minerals with biology
Alkali Labs focuses on extracting lithium and cobalt from industrial waste sources, including acid mine drainage.
The demand for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt is skyrocketing. According to the International Energy Agency, lithium demand is projected to increase up to 42 times by 2040, and cobalt demand by as much as 21 times. These minerals are essential for the batteries that power our electric vehicles (EVs), yet traditional mining and extraction methods are environmentally damaging and geopolitically fraught. Enter Alkali Labs, a company pioneering a novel approach: using genetically engineered yeast to recover these minerals from industrial waste streams.
The founder’s journey: From software to synthetic biology
Jacob Roberts, Co-Founder and CTO of AlkaLi Labs, didn’t start in climate tech. He began his career as a software engineer at Google’s Project Loon before transitioning to bioengineering. "I loved working at Google, but I wanted to contribute to something where the pie is growing for everyone involved," he explains.
Rather than jumping straight into a PhD program, Jacob took a transitionary role in a hospital research lab, applying his software skills to cancer biology. "It was a way to get hands-on experience while still leveraging my existing expertise," he shares. This approach—finding a bridge between existing skills and a new domain—is something he highly recommends for others looking to enter climate tech.
Industry landscape: The critical minerals challenge
The challenge facing EV battery production isn’t just about supply and demand—it’s about where and how we source these minerals. Traditional mining is resource-intensive, geopolitically complex, and often environmentally destructive.
AlkaLi Labs offers an alternative: bio-mining. Their technology focuses on extracting lithium and cobalt from industrial waste sources, including acid mine drainage and oil and gas wastewater. "We estimate that there’s enough lithium in U.S. oil and gas waste streams to meet domestic demand for the next ten years," Jacob notes. Instead of drilling new holes in the ground, AlkaLi Labs leverages biology to recover these valuable materials from existing waste.
The Science: How engineered microbes extract lithium
At the core of AlkaLi Labs’ technology is synthetic biology. "Microbes are like tiny vessels—when placed in mineral-rich brine, they naturally absorb elements from their surroundings. We engineer them to selectively extract lithium," Jacob explains. Their team modifies yeast by tweaking protein pumps that naturally transport ions in and out of cells. By reprogramming these pumps, the microbes can efficiently absorb and store lithium, which is later harvested in a scalable, low-cost process.
Yeast, bio-engineered protein and AlkaLi Lab’s founders in the field
One key enabler? AI-driven protein engineering. "With AI tools like EvolvePro, we can predict protein structures and optimize them for lithium absorption in ways that weren’t possible even a few years ago," Jacob adds.
The principles of biology and directed evolution
At the heart of AlkaLi Labs’ approach is directed evolution, a method that mimics natural selection to develop optimized biological solutions. Evolution, over billions of years, has created proteins that perform highly specialized tasks, such as transporting ions across membranes. Scientists can accelerate this process in the lab by introducing small mutations into a protein’s genetic code and screening for improved function.
"Instead of waiting for millions of years, we can evolve a better lithium-selective protein in months," Jacob explains. By leveraging AI-driven protein design, AlkaLi Labs can test far fewer variants while achieving breakthrough improvements in lithium absorption. This approach is not only faster but also more precise, allowing them to create microbes that thrive in the harsh conditions of industrial waste streams.
Bridging traditional and high-tech industries
Innovative as it is, AlkaLi Labs operates in a very traditional industry: oil and gas. Breaking into this sector required more than just a great idea—it required a deep understanding of industry language and culture.
"Cold calling oil and gas operators got us nowhere," Jacob admits. "We quickly learned that trust is everything in this space." The breakthrough came through strategic advisors—industry veterans who provided introductions and helped shape their messaging. "We don’t talk in liters, we talk in barrels. We don’t say ‘brine,’ we say ‘produced water.’ It’s all about fitting into their existing mental models."
Funding & scaling, crossing the ‘Valley of Death’
Scaling a bio-mining solution requires significant capital. "There’s a well-known ‘valley of death’ in climate tech—where a promising lab-scale innovation needs funding to prove itself at pilot scale," Jacob explains. AlkaLi Labs is tackling this challenge with a mix of non-dilutive government grants and venture capital, but he acknowledges that climate financing remains a tough landscape. At the same time, domestic resilience and supply security have become strategic priorities for the government, creating opportunities for partnerships that can help accelerate AlkaLi Labs’ growth.
Lessons for climate tech entrepreneurs
For those looking to transition into climate tech, Jacob offers clear advice: specialize. "Find a niche—whether it’s bioengineering, battery technology, or grid management—and go deep," he says. "Go to a conference, meet people, learn the language. Even if you’re coming from an unrelated field, you can carve out an entry point."
Looking ahead: Scaling impact
In the next five years, AlkaLi Labs aims to move from pilot-scale demonstrations to full-scale commercial deployment. "We want to be operating our first full-scale lithium extraction facility with an industry partner," Jacob envisions. With their innovative technology, and deep industry partnerships, AlkaLi Labs is ready to scale and make a significant impact on the future of sustainable mineral extraction.