VRNM

Verenium Corporation

An industrial biotechnology company based in San Diego, Verenium made specialized enzymes for everything from drilling mud and grain processing to animal feed — hunting in extreme places like hot springs and deep-sea vents for hardy microbes whose DNA could be turned into useful proteins. It was born in 2007 from the merger of Diversa, an enzyme pioneer, and Celunol, a maker of cellulosic ethanol; its products included VEREFLOW alpha-amylase used in oilfields. A fun twist: the company was later swallowed whole by the German chemical giant BASF in 2013, folding its enzyme know-how into a much larger portfolio.