As demand grows for alternatives to imported and petroleum-based materials, the United States has a major opportunity to produce biobased products from American-grown resources. Yet many rural regions still lack the technology, infrastructure, investment, and cross-sector coordination needed to move from agricultural potential to industrial-scale biobased manufacturing.

The  NSF BRIDGES Engine in Alabama and Tennessee, led by HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, is leveraging advances in technology and creative new partnerships to build a national supply base for biobased products in the U.S. Southeast – manufactured using specially grown grasses on low-productivity land. The NSF Bridges Engine is accelerating validation and production of products for the automotive, construction, and packaging industries, reducing U.S. reliance on foreign nations for imports that support key U.S. sectors and national defense.

As this ecosystem grows, the NSF BRIDGES Engine is positioned to attract investment into rural communities, open new market opportunities for farmers and manufacturers in the U.S. Southeast, and strengthen domestic supply chains with American-grown resources.