Recap: Recent Advances in Fermentation Technology (RAFT®16) in South Carolina

It was an honor to chair RAFT®16, held at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort and Spa in South Carolina from November 9–12, 2025. The conference was very well attended, with 338 participants from 19 countries, including 295 from industry and additional participants from government and academia. Ninety-two percent of attendees were at the mid- or late-career stage. We hope to see more early-career professionals from industry and more students attend future RAFT meetings, helping ensure that the art and science of fermentation are passed on to the next generation. This was the largest RAFT meeting in the past 10 years, and I hope this momentum continues.

We were privileged to open the conference with keynote speaker Mark Warner, co-founder and CEO of Liberation Bioindustries. Mark discussed the need for fit-for-purpose biomanufacturing facilities and how they can help industrial biotechnology reach its full potential.

It was inspiring to see Steve Lewis receive the David Perlman Award at the conference. Steve is an accomplished technology innovator and leader at POET LLC, the world’s largest fuel ethanol company. Through his award lecture and conversations with him, I gained a deeper appreciation for the impact he has had as a mentor and thought leader in the field.

This year’s program featured six scientific sessions addressing challenges and innovations in microbial engineering, scale-up processes, integration of biomanufacturing stages, digitalization, process modeling, and novel fermentation concepts. In addition, SIMB and DECHEMA jointly organized a special session on heterologous protein production. It was excellent to showcase research from leading professors based in Germany. Thank you to Michael Resch and Ralf Takors for making this session possible, and to Ralf, Peter Neubauer and Marco Oldiges for attending.

One of the best parts of RAFT conferences is the opportunity to visit the exhibitor hall, where attendees can speak with vendors, learn about new technologies, view posters, meet new colleagues, and reconnect with old acquaintances. This year, we had a record 53 exhibitors filling the exhibitor hall. In addition to discussing technology and fermentation needs with vendors, attendees had dedicated time to learn about new technologies during nine exhibitor showcases. Click here to view the full album of 200 photos from the meeting.

Overall, organizing and attending RAFT®16 was a highly rewarding experience. I am grateful to have worked with such an experienced and dedicated team to make this conference a success, including Co-Chair Gisela Nadal Rey and all SIMB staff members, especially Haley Cox. I also want to extend a sincere thank you to all session conveners. Your hard work helped us bring together excellent talks and ensured that the program planning stayed on schedule.
I would also like to thank the RAFT®16 sponsors Thermo Fisher, GEA, Lallemand, Corteva, and DCI for their generous support.