The company Darwin Bioprospectin Excellence, S.L., founded in 2016, was promoted by researchers Manuel Porcar Miralles and Juli Peretó Magraner, currently attached to the Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), a joint centre of the Universitat de València (UV) and the Spanish National Research Council, and by Mercedes Pamblanco Rodríguez, Teaching and Research Staff of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the UV.

Located in the Science Park of the UV, Darwin is an innovative company with extensive experience whose activity is developed in the biotechnology sector and focuses mainly on applied microbiology. DARWIN develops R&D activities and projects for clients looking for tailor-made microbial solutions (bioprospecting of microorganisms with applications of interest in the food, biomedical and agricultural industries, among others).

The company exploits advanced knowledge in microbial ecology and synthetic biology, generated through the research activity of Manuel Porcar Miralles. This knowledge, transferred by the UV to Darwin, allows the company to develop and commercialise services and products for particular market niches, such as the industrial production of high added value molecules (i.e.: pigments, carotenoids and other metabolites with antioxidant activity), as well as biopesticides.

DARWIN's business model is mainly based on the provision of services in the following business areas:

-Microbial sequencing: Identification and quantification of microbial species present through total DNA sequencing of a given sample.

-Food starters: Development or selection of starters to produce fermented foods (such as kefir, beer, wine or sourdough bread) that give the product the organoleptic characteristics desired by the client.

-Probiotics: Selection of probiotic microorganisms for use in both humans and animals. In addition to a wide collection of strains, we also develop strains with specific activities according to customer demand.

-Energy and environment: Analysis of the composition of microbial communities, bioremediation of contaminated waters and environments, optimisation of ecological agriculture or improvement of biogas production.

Darwin also commercialises its own products, such as microbial strains with biological activities of interest, and food products based on microorganisms and microbial consortia.

The recognition of Darwin as a spin-off of the University of Valencia and the participation of the UV in the company strengthen the collaboration model between the two entities, regulated through the Support Agreement and recognition as a spin-off.