Ginkgo Bioworks
Programming biology with the same precision as software to build a sustainable future.
Emerald Cloud Lab (ECL) represents a paradigm shift in laboratory research by virtualizing the physical wet lab environment. Unlike traditional SaaS tools, ECL provides access to a massive physical facility in Carlsbad, California, housing over 200 types of scientific instruments that users control via the Symbolic Lab Language (SLL). Built on the Wolfram Language foundation, the technical architecture allows researchers to define experiments as code, ensuring 100% reproducibility and granular control over every variable. As of 2026, ECL has expanded its footprint to support high-throughput screening and complex synthesis workflows, positioning itself as the 'AWS of Biotech.' The platform eliminates the capital expenditure of building physical labs, allowing startups and enterprise R&D teams to scale experiment capacity elastically. The integration of AI-driven optimization loops within SLL allows for autonomous hypothesis testing, where the system analyzes results and automatically adjusts parameters for subsequent runs. This 'closed-loop' capability is fundamental to modern drug discovery and materials science, where speed to data is the primary competitive advantage.
A Turing-complete language that allows for the precise description of every physical action in a lab.
Verified feedback from the global deployment network.
Post queries, share implementation strategies, and help other users.
Real-time visualization of the lab floor and instrument status during experiment execution.
Robotic handling of samples from storage (-80°C to ambient) to instrument and back.
Ability to run dozens of unique experiments simultaneously on identical instrument fleets.
Automatic indexing of all raw data, metadata, and environmental conditions (temp/humidity) per run.
Secure video feed access to specific robotic workstations during protocol execution.
Native integration with Bayesian optimization libraries to search experimental space.
The high cost and slow turnaround of iterative synthesis and testing.
Registry Updated:2/7/2026
Cellular assays test efficacy on synthesized compounds.
Data is streamed back to researcher for immediate analysis.
Difficulty in replicating results from shared research papers.
Expensive overhead for periodic batch testing.