Biosphere Awarded $9 Million U.S. Army Contract to Develop On-Demand Nutrition Production System for Warfighters
Oakland, CA – May 5, 2026 – Biosphere, a U.S.-based pioneer in biomanufacturing technology, today announced the award of an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement with a total potential value of up to $9 million. The agreement was awarded by the Office of the Undersecretary of War (OSW) Manufacturing Science and Technology Program (MSTP) via the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM SC). Consisting of a baseline effort and three subsequent options, the project will fund the development of a portable biomanufacturing system capable of producing protein rations from air, water, and energy.
This initiative aligns with the Department of War’s (DoW) strategic focus on biomanufacturing and contested logistics—priorities supported by a planned investment of over $300 million in bioindustrial manufacturing for fiscal year 2026. This 42-month contract funds the design, development, and demonstration of a field-deployable system that synthesizes ready-to-eat meals for warfighters operating in contested, remote, and logistically constrained environments. The technology aims to reduce reliance on complex supply chains by enabling on-site production of 2,800 calories per person per day for up to 18 warfighters, with plans to scale the system to support 250 personnel.
"This contract represents a significant milestone in our mission to advance rapidly deployable biomanufacturing systems," said Brian Heligman, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Biosphere. "By leveraging our proprietary UV-sterilized bioreactor technology, we're developing a system that can produce nutritious, shelf-stable food anywhere, eliminating traditional supply chain constraints and enhancing operational readiness for our military."
The project will progress through multiple phases, beginning with process selection and design, advancing through pilot-scale demonstrations, and culminating in a full-scale prototype capable of continuous operation. Key innovations include UV sterilization protocols for contamination-free production, water and media recycling systems, and downstream processing to create lightweight, nutrient-dense, ready-to-eat foods.
“This effort reflects the military’s focus on advancing resilient, forward-deployed capabilities that reduce logistical burden and enhance operational flexibility,” said Nicole Favreau Farhadi, Technical Lead, U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center. “Technologies that enable on-site production of critical resources, beginning with nutrition, represent an important step toward more adaptive and distributed sustainment in future operating environments.”
Building on this capability, Arye Lipman, Co-Founder and COO of Biosphere, added: "This program will validate our platform's ability to deliver autonomous, point-of-need biomanufacturing. While nutrition is the initial application, the platform can produce fuels, chemicals, and advanced materials, with potential to expand distributed manufacturing in remote and resource-constrained environments."
The contract was awarded through the Army's ACC–APG Natick Division, Combat Feeding Division which leads research and development efforts in Soldier nutrition and combat feeding systems. Work will be performed at Biosphere's facilities in California, with final product samples delivered to the Combat Feeding Division for evaluation.
