Behind the science: How ÄIO combines AI and biotechnology to accelerate innovation 

An interview with ÄIO’s Senior Bioinformatician Paulo Alexandrino, PhD, and Scientist, Tommaso Tagliani.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming almost every industry, also biotech. At ÄIO, it has become a tool that helps our teams learn faster, make better decisions and accelerate the development of next-generation sustainable fats and oils.

To explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of industrial biotechnology, we spoke with two members of our R&D team who recently participated in the AI4Agrifood Global Accelerator: Paulo Alexandrino, Senior Bioinformatician, and Tommaso Tagliani, Scientist. The programme explored how AI can support innovation across agrifood and biotechnology, from research and process optimisation to commercialisation and customer discovery.

AI is everywhere. Why did ÄIO decide to join an AI-focused accelerator?
Paulo: “At ÄIO, we generate enormous amounts of biological and process data every day. From strain engineering and fermentation to downstream processing and analytical testing. Artificial intelligence has the potential to connect these datasets and help us make better decisions faster. The AI4Agrifood programme was not about following a technology trend, it was an opportunity to explore how AI can support industrial biotechnology by helping scientists design experiments, optimise production and accelerate innovation.”

What surprised you most during the programme? 
Tommaso: “I expected a strong technical focus, but what impressed me most was how practical the programme was. AI wasn’t presented as a futuristic technology, it was discussed as a real business tool. Alongside machine learning, we explored topics such as customer discovery, market validation, pilot design and commercialisation. It reinforced something that’s essential in deeptech: breakthrough science only creates value when it solves a real customer problem.”

Where can AI create the biggest value for ÄIO?
Paulo: “One of the biggest opportunities is shortening the Design–Build–Test–Learn (DBTL) cycle. Developing new microbial strains traditionally requires hundreds or even thousands of experiments. AI helps us analyse years of biological and fermentation data, identify promising strain modifications and predict process behaviour much faster. That allows us to develop better ingredients more efficiently while maintaining scientific quality.”

Digital twins were one of the topics discussed during the accelerator. What could they mean for biotechnology?
Tommaso: “A digital twin is essentially a virtual representation of a biological process. Instead of physically testing every possible production condition, we can simulate different scenarios before running experiments in the lab. As fermentation processes move from laboratory scale towards industrial manufacturing, this kind of predictive modelling could help improve stability, optimise production and reduce development time.”

The programme also emphasised customer discovery. Why is that important for scientists?
Tommaso: “Great science alone is not enough. The programme reminded us that scientific excellence and customer understanding need to evolve together. By continuously talking with customers, we make sure the ingredients we develop solve real formulation challenges and fit into existing manufacturing processes. Ultimately, innovation only matters if it creates value for the people using it.”

What makes ÄIO well positioned to benefit from AI?
Paulo: “AI is only as good as the data behind it. For more than four years, ÄIO has been building expertise in strain engineering, fermentation, downstream processing, analytical chemistry and product development. Every experiment expands our knowledge base. Because we already have strong scientific foundations, AI becomes an accelerator rather than just another software tool.

Biotechnology is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. How do your roles complement each other?
Tommaso: “Modern biotechnology combines biology, engineering, automation and process development. Building new microbial production platforms requires expertise across all these disciplines.”
Paulo: “Bioinformatics adds another layer. By combining biological knowledge with data science and computational modelling, we can discover patterns that would be difficult to identify through manual analysis alone. That’s where AI becomes valuable, not by replacing scientists, but by helping them learn faster.”

How will AI influence ÄIO’s future?
Paulo: “We are already exploring how AI can support different stages of our R&D workflow from analysing fermentation data and improving metabolic models to supporting strain engineering and predictive process control. The objective is always the same: develop better ingredients faster, more efficiently and at industrial scale. Ultimately, that benefits our customers through more reliable products, faster innovation and more sustainable manufacturing.

Looking ahead, what role will AI play in biotechnology?
Paulo: “I don’t think AI will replace scientists. Instead, it will become another laboratory tool, just as important as sequencing technologies or modern analytical equipment. Scientists will continue asking the questions and AI will simply help us answer them faster.

About the authors 
Paulo Alexandrino, PhD, is Senior Bioinformatician at ÄIO, where he combines bioinformatics, data science and computational biology to accelerate the development of next-generation microbial strains. Before joining ÄIO, he conducted doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and has contributed to biotechnology innovation across academia and industry. His expertise spans bioinformatics, metabolic engineering and machine learning, helping transform complex biological data into actionable insights for industrial biotechnology.

Tommaso Tagliani is a Scientist at ÄIO, working across synthetic biology, strain engineering and bioprocess development. His multidisciplinary role also includes leading SynBio projects, intellectual property management and supporting the development of digital tools that strengthen ÄIO’s R&D capabilities. An EMJMD BIOCEB alumnus with international research experience across Europe, Tommaso is passionate about applying biotechnology to solve global sustainability challenges.

About the AI4Agrifood Global Accelerator
Earlier this year, ÄIO joined the AI4Agrifood Global Accelerator, an international programme organised by BGI Sustainable Ventures. The accelerator brought together innovative companies exploring how artificial intelligence can accelerate the future of agrifood and industrial biotechnology.

Running from March to May 2026, the programme combined expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops and mentoring around topics such as market discovery, value proposition development, pilot design, investment readiness and the practical application of AI technologies, including digital twins and predictive modelling. Beyond the technical aspects, the programme also encouraged participants to strengthen customer discovery and commercial thinking alongside scientific innovation.

The accelerator was an opportunity for ÄIO to explore how artificial intelligence can complement years of biological research and help transform scientific knowledge into faster innovation and greater impact.