TL;DR: If you are replacing Ginkgo Bioworks, the closest options are Biocogniv, Docbot, Epinoma. The table below compares 12 alternatives on what they do, stage, size and status.
Every alternative below is compared on what it actually does, not just its category — so you can see which one genuinely replaces Ginkgo Bioworks (YC Summer 2014).
Last verified:
The three closest alternatives to Ginkgo Bioworks are:
| Alternative | What it does | Stage | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biocogniv | — | YC Summer 2020 | 6 | Acquired |
| Docbot | — | YC Winter 2019 | — | Acquired |
| Epinoma | We engineer proteins that control the operating system of biology. | YC Summer 2021 | 8 | Active |
| Mind Emulation Foundation | — | YC Winter 2018 | 1 | Active |
| Radix Labs | Operating systems for biology labs | YC Summer 2018 | 7 | Inactive |
| Morphle Labs | Robotic Automation for cancer diagnostics - Robotic Microscopes &… | YC Winter 2020 | 65 | Active |
| Kenota (formerly ExVivo Labs) | Kenota is revolutionizing the way we test for disease | YC Summer 2016 | 35 | Inactive |
| Verifiable | API for healthcare compliance | YC Summer 2020 | 12 | Active |
| Zergo | We make a urine test that helps women get pregnant. | YC Summer 2019 | 9 | Inactive |
| inSoma Bio | Helping Plastic Surgeons Rebuild Fat | YC Summer 2020 | 4 | Active |
| Excepgen | — | YC Winter 2019 | 3 | Active |
| Numen | Engineering a future without cancer deaths. | YC Summer 2023 | 18 | Active |
It depends on your size. Biocogniv is the closest match on what Ginkgo Bioworks actually does. If you need something more established, sort the table by team size — larger teams generally mean more support and a longer track record. If budget is the constraint, the earlier-batch companies are usually the ones still competing on price.
Ginkgo Bioworks is a public company. Expect enterprise pricing and procurement, which is why smaller teams look at the alternatives above.
Every company here is Y Combinator-backed and was matched to Ginkgo Bioworks on what it actually does — its own description of its product — rather than on a broad category label. Batch, team size and operating status come from the YC directory and are shown as-is. We do not rank by payment.
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