Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) today announced that it will provide in-kind access to its autonomous laboratory in Boston to support the National Science Foundation’s X-Labs program. Ginkgo’s support was announced today by Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), at the Science: A New Golden Age Summit in Washington, D.C.

NSF X-Labs is a $1.5 billion, decade-long initiative to fund independent teams of researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs pursuing breakthrough science through milestone-based awards. Through its contribution, Ginkgo will make cloud lab time on its autonomous lab available to NSF X-Labs teams, giving researchers remote access to robotic lab infrastructure to design, run, and analyze experiments.

As part of the NSF X-Labs program, Ginkgo will offer NSF X-Labs teams its protein testing services, enabling researchers to rapidly express and characterize protein designs, including those generated by AI models, without building out their own wet lab capacity.

Ginkgo’s autonomous lab in Boston runs on Ginkgo’s Reconfigurable Automation Carts (RACs), modular robots that combine robotic arms, maglev sample transport, and Catalyst software to run high-mix lab work around the clock. Researchers can access the lab remotely through Ginkgo Cloud Lab, which provides access to a fleet of more than 70 instruments spanning sample preparation, liquid handling, analytical readouts, storage, and incubation.

Autonomous labs are a key part of the U.S. government’s vision for American science. Ginkgo already works with NSF through the Programmable Cloud Laboratories (PCL) Test Bed program, where it is expected to provide RACs and software to cloud lab nodes at Caltech, the University of Maryland, and Northwestern University.

“Autonomous labs are a key part of the U.S. government’s vision for a golden age of American science, and we’re proud to put our autonomous lab to work for NSF X-Labs teams,” said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. “Robotic labs are key to competing with China and to improving the reproducibility and output of U.S. science. We believe robotic labs should be at every university and biopharma company, and programs like X-Labs show how quickly researchers can move when they have access to them.”

Researchers interested in Ginkgo’s autonomous lab capabilities can learn more and submit protocols at cloud.ginkgo.bio.

About Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. The company offers autonomous laboratories that replace manual laboratory work with robotics in the lab, greatly improving the productivity of scientists. Ginkgo’s in-house autonomous lab is also available as a “cloud lab” through our Datapoints and Solutions contract research services. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding Ginkgo’s support of the NSF X-Labs program and the capabilities and potential success of Ginkgo’s autonomous labs. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “can,” “project,” “potential,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) our ability to realize near-term and long-term cost savings associated with our site consolidation plans, including the ability to terminate leases or find sub-lease tenants for unused facilities, (ii) volatility in the price of Ginkgo’s securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo’s business, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, including with respect to our solutions and tools offerings, (iv) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (v) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (vi) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vii) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our platform programs and assets, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, (x) the product development, production or manufacturing success of our customers, (xi) our exposure to the volatility and liquidity risks inherent in holding equity interests in other operating companies and other non-cash consideration we may receive for our services, (xii) the potential negative impact on our business of our restructuring or the failure to realize the anticipated savings associated therewith, (xiii) the uncertainty regarding government budgetary priorities and funding allocated to government agencies, including potential adverse effects from the U.S. government shutdown, (xiv) our ability to scale, expand the capacity of, and continue to develop the capabilities of our autonomous lab (including Nebula) on the timelines and to the extent we anticipate, (xv) the pace and degree to which autonomous laboratory infrastructure is adopted by, and displaces manual laboratory work in, the broader life sciences and industrial biotechnology markets, (xvi) the actual size, composition and growth of the addressable markets we target, which may differ materially from our estimates, (xvii) our ability to integrate our autonomous lab platform with third-party artificial intelligence models and other technologies, and the rate of development and adoption of such technologies, and (xviii) our ability to maintain and expand strategic partnerships and customer relationships, including those with named partners referenced in this announcement. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of Ginkgo’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 26, 2026, and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire