Technology
Ginkgo Bioworks Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results
Published
2 years agoon
By
$251 million of Total revenue in 2023
$139 million in Cell Engineering services revenue, representing 31% growth over 2022
78 new Cell Programs added in 2023, representing 32% growth over 2022 and continued penetration in biopharma
Year-end cash balance of nearly $950 million provides meaningful multi-year runway as we drive towards profitability and begin recognizing benefits from improved platform efficiency
BOSTON, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DNA, “Ginkgo”), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced its results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. The update, including a webcast slide presentation and supplemental financial information, will be available at investors.ginkgobioworks.com.
“2023 was a breakout year for Ginkgo,” said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo. “We’re working to build a durable platform that fundamentally transforms R&D in biotech. I’m particularly pleased with our growth in biopharma, which represents our largest untapped market – we added several new programs across modalities with large enterprises including Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer and are seeing strong momentum in pharma going into 2024. I am also thrilled to see a real ecosystem building around Ginkgo – we’re honored by the trust placed in us by the terrific founders of Patch Biosciences, Reverie Labs, and Proof Diagnostics to bring their technologies to customers and by the over 25 inaugural partners in our newly announced Technology Network. We are committed to bringing the best technologies together to support our customers, and we’ve never been better positioned to deliver.”
Recent Business Highlights & Strategic Positioning
Added 78 new Cell Engineering Programs in 2023, representing 32% growth over the prior year periodGinkgo’s Cell Engineering segment generated services revenue, which does not include downstream value share revenue, of $139 million in 2023, a 31% increase versus 2022Ginkgo’s Biosecurity segment generated $108 million of revenue in 2023 as the Biosecurity business shifted to a more recurring model focused on global reach and multiple pathogens to build a long-term biosecurity global infrastructureGinkgo continues to expand its global bioradar network—now in 14 countries and 10 airports—and advance capabilities for multi-target and multimodal biological threat detection, characterization, and forecasting for next-generation biological intelligenceGinkgo is partnering with the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) and Doha Venture Capital (DVC) to build a Center for Unified Biosecurity Excellence in Doha (CUBE-D), envisioned as the first of several hubs for biosecurity sample and data analysis in our global networkGinkgo is partnering with Illumina, a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, to advance localized biosecurity capabilities in countries around the worldDownstream value share – which consists of potential value to Ginkgo from its Cell Engineering customers and includes potential royalties, milestone payments, and equity interests – is an important component of the financial potential of most programs. As of December 31, 2023 Ginkgo has approximately $2.4 billion in aggregate revenue potential from downstream milestone payments alone in addition to royalties.Ginkgo recently announced the launch of its Technology Network of over 25 companies, creating a more integrated approach to biotech R&D. Ginkgo has a long history of integrating diverse technologies to deliver on customers’ complex program goals and believes that customers should not have to choose a technical approach prematurely but should be able to test many approaches in an unbiased way. Ginkgo customers will be able to benefit from the integration of technologies from network partners in their programs, and Ginkgo expects to expand the network based on customer needs and feedback.Ginkgo also announced several acquisitions including Patch Biosciences, Proof Diagnostics and Reverie Labs. These acquisitions are expected to expand Ginkgo’s capabilities in AI and biopharma.
Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
Fourth quarter 2023 Total revenue of $35 million, down from $98 million in the comparable prior year period, a decrease of 65% primarily driven by the expected ramp down of K-12 testing in Ginkgo’s Biosecurity segment and the impact of Cell Engineering downstream value share from equity milestones in 2022 that did not recur in 2023Fourth quarter 2023 Cell Engineering services revenue, which does not include downstream value share revenue, of $27 million, down 26% from $36 million in the comparable prior year period. There was no material downstream value share revenue received in the fourth quarter of 2023.Fourth quarter 2023 Biosecurity revenue of $8 million with gross profit margin of 15% is reflective of the early stages of transitioning to a more recurring business modelFourth quarter 2023 Loss from operations of $(178) million (inclusive of stock-based compensation expense of $44 million), compared to Loss from operations of $(231) million in the comparable prior year period (inclusive of stock-based compensation expense of $111 million). Just under half of the stock-based compensation expense relates to the continued GAAP accounting for the modification of restricted stock units issued prior to Ginkgo becoming a public company, as disclosed in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 13, 2023, and which we expect to continue to ramp down significantly in the coming quarters.Fourth quarter 2023 Adjusted EBITDA of $(96) million, down from $(76) million in the comparable prior year period driven by the decline in Total revenue partially offset by a decline in operating expensesCash and cash equivalents balance as of the end of the fourth quarter of $944 million puts Ginkgo in a strong financial position to pursue its strategic objectives
Full Year 2023 Financial Highlights
Full year 2023 Total revenue of $251 million, down from $478 million in the prior year, a decrease of 47% as Biosecurity revenue transitioned from K-12 testing to a more recurring business modelFull year 2023 Cell Engineering revenue of $144 million remained stable over the prior year, representing 31% growth in services revenue offset by a decrease in downstream value share from equity milestonesFull year 2023 Biosecurity revenue of $108 million, down from $334 million in the prior year, a decrease of 68%, with full year 2023 Biosecurity gross profit margin of 50%Full year 2023 Loss from operations of $(864) million (inclusive of stock-based compensation expense of $235 million), compared to $(2.2) billion (inclusive of stock-based compensation expense of $1.9 billion) in the prior yearFull year 2023 Adjusted EBITDA of $(355) million, down from $(173) million in the prior year
Full Year 2024 Guidance
Ginkgo expects to add 100-120 new Cell Programs to the Cell Engineering platform in 2024Ginkgo expects Total revenue of $215–$235 million in 2024Ginkgo expects Cell Engineering services revenue of $165-185 million in 2024 driven by expected growth in biopharma and government programs. This guidance excludes the impact of any potential downstream value share revenue.Ginkgo expects Biosecurity revenue in 2024 of at least $50 million, representing approximate current contracted backlog, with potential upside from additional opportunities in the pipeline
Conference Call Details
Ginkgo will host a videoconference today, Thursday, February 29, 2024, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. The presentation will include an overview of the fourth quarter and full year financial performance, recent business updates, a discussion on Ginkgo’s outlook, as well as a moderated question and answer session.
To ask a question ahead of the presentation, please submit your questions to @Ginkgo on X (hashtag #GinkgoResults) or by sending an e-mail to investors@ginkgobioworks.com.
A webcast link is available on Ginkgo’s Investor Relations website and a replay will be made available following the presentation.
Ginkgo Investor Website: https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com/events/
Audio-Only Dial Ins:
+1 646 876 9923 (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 (Houston)
+1 408 638 0968 (San Jose)
Webinar ID: 928 9136 7332
If you experience technical difficulties with any of these dial-ins or if you need international dial-in numbers, please visit our web site at https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com/events/ for updated dial-in information.
About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo’s biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is building global infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities, and public health leaders to prevent, detect and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and concentricbyginkgo.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @ConcentricByGBW), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks) or LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks
This press release, the presentation, and the conference call and webcast contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding our plans, strategies, including with respect to our balance sheet and cash runway, acquisitions, current expectations, operations and anticipated results of operations, both business and financial, including opportunities for increased operational efficiency, our manufacturing capabilities, potential customer success, including successful application of our offerings by our customers, the capabilities and potential operational and financial success of our acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations, and expected timing thereof, expectations with regard to revenue, the nature of such revenue and any related downstream value share associated with such revenue, funding that is contingent upon Ginkgo’s achievement of milestones, expenses, including our stock-based compensation expenses, our full year 2024 outlook, the future security and commercial applications of the BIOINT industry, the expansion, timing and potential capabilities of our bioradar network and the national biodefense strategy, plans to develop and deploy AI tools for biology and biosecurity for both internal use and external release, including the expected timing thereof, and the market environment, all of which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, market trends, or industry results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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 document, including but not limited to: (i) 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, (ii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, (iii) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (iv) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (v) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vi) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (vii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs, (viii) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, and (ix) the product development or commercialization success of our customers. 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 most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), 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.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Certain of the financial measures included in this release, including Adjusted EBITDA, have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), and constitute “non-GAAP financial measures” as defined by the SEC. Ginkgo has included these non-GAAP financial measures because it believes they provide an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating Ginkgo’s financial performance and prospects. Due to the nature and/or size of the items being excluded, such items do not reflect future gains, losses, expenses or benefits and are not indicative of our future operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental to, and should not be considered in isolation from, or as an alternative to, financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from non-GAAP financial measures with comparable names used by other companies. See the reconciliation below for additional information regarding certain of the non-GAAP financial measures included in this release, including a description of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of the historic measures to Ginkgo’s most comparable GAAP financial measures.
Ginkgo Bioworks Contacts:
INVESTOR CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)
As of December 31,
2023
2022
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 944,073
$ 1,315,792
Accounts receivable, net
17,157
80,907
Accounts receivable – related parties
742
1,558
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
39,777
51,822
Total current assets
1,001,749
1,450,079
Property, plant and equipment, net
188,193
314,773
Operating lease right-of-use assets
206,801
400,762
Investments
78,565
112,188
Equity method investments
—
1,543
Intangible assets, net
82,741
111,041
Goodwill
49,238
60,210
Other non-current assets
58,055
88,725
Total assets
$ 1,665,342
$ 2,539,321
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 9,323
$ 10,451
Deferred revenue
44,486
47,817
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
110,051
114,694
Total current liabilities
163,860
172,962
Non-current liabilities:
Deferred revenue, net of current portion
158,062
174,767
Operating lease liabilities, non-current
221,835
413,256
Warrant liabilities
5,700
10,868
Other non-current liabilities
18,733
31,191
Total liabilities
568,190
803,044
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 200,000 shares authorized; none issued
—
—
Common stock, $0.0001 par value
199
190
Additional paid-in capital
6,385,997
6,136,378
Accumulated deficit
(5,290,528)
(4,397,659)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
1,484
(2,632)
Total stockholders’ equity
1,097,152
1,736,277
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 1,665,342
$ 2,539,321
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)
Three Months Ended December 31,
Year Ended December 31,
2023
2022
2023
2022
Cell Engineering revenue
$ 26,976
$ 53,257
$ 143,531
$ 143,666
Biosecurity revenue:
Product
—
12,431
28,949
35,455
Service
7,779
32,597
78,975
298,585
Total revenue
34,755
98,285
251,455
477,706
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of Biosecurity product revenue
—
7,447
7,481
20,646
Cost of Biosecurity service revenue
6,611
22,771
46,524
183,570
Research and development
117,038
177,548
580,621
1,052,643
General and administrative
89,223
121,383
385,025
1,429,799
Impairment of lease assets
—
—
96,210
—
Total operating expenses
212,872
329,149
1,115,861
2,686,658
Loss from operations
(178,117)
(230,864)
(864,406)
(2,208,952)
Other income (expense):
Interest income
13,303
11,441
57,217
20,262
Interest expense
(93)
(106)
(93)
(106)
Loss on equity method investments
(1,119)
10,003
(2,635)
(43,761)
Loss on investments
(10,012)
(13,354)
(54,827)
(53,335)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities
6,555
28,871
5,168
124,970
(Loss) gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries
(42,502)
—
(42,502)
31,889
Other income (expense), net
93
6,161
9,138
7,634
Total other income (expense), net
(33,775)
43,016
(28,534)
87,553
Loss before income taxes
(211,892)
(187,848)
(892,940)
(2,121,399)
Income tax benefit
(198)
(14,770)
(71)
(15,027)
Net loss
(211,694)
(173,078)
(892,869)
(2,106,372)
Loss attributable to non-controlling interest
—
2,390
—
(1,443)
Net loss attributable to Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. stockholders
$ (211,694)
$ (175,468)
$ (892,869)
$ (2,104,929)
Net loss per share attributable to Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
common stockholders:
Basic
$ (0.11)
$ (0.09)
$ (0.46)
$ (1.25)
Diluted
$ (0.11)
$ (0.10)
$ (0.46)
$ (1.25)
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic
1,977,708
1,854,952
1,944,420
1,679,061
Diluted
1,978,843
1,856,610
1,944,420
1,679,839
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss
$ (211,694)
$ (173,078)
$ (892,869)
$ (2,106,372)
Other comprehensive loss:
Foreign currency translation adjustment
4,383
5,278
4,116
(917)
Total other comprehensive gain (loss)
4,383
5,278
4,116
(917)
Comprehensive loss
$ (207,311)
$ (167,800)
$ (888,753)
$ (2,107,289)
(1)
R&D and G&A expenses included a significant charge for stock-based compensation expense as a result of the modification of the vesting terms of RSUs and related earnout shares. Total stock-based compensation expense, inclusive of employer payroll taxes, was allocated as follows (in thousands):
Three Months Ended December 31,
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Research and development
$ 26,775
$ 68,171
$ 148,861
$ 738,821
General and administrative
16,809
43,059
86,047
1,202,099
Total
$ 43,584
$ 111,230
$ 234,908
$ 1,940,920
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands, unaudited)
Year Ended December 31,
2023
2022
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ (892,869)
$ (2,106,372)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
70,507
42,552
Stock-based compensation
229,884
1,930,641
Non-cash customer consideration
(1,373)
(34,263)
Loss on equity method investments
2,635
43,761
Loss on investments
54,827
53,335
Change in fair value of notes receivable
2,416
(3,757)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities
(5,168)
(124,970)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability
9,168
(1,262)
Loss (gain) on deconsolidation of subsidiaries
42,502
(31,889)
Impairment of long-lived assets
121,404
—
Deferred income tax benefit
(801)
(14,609)
Loss on disposal of equipment
842
3,091
Non-cash lease expense
28,313
19,082
Non-cash in-process research and development
9,182
1,162
Amortization of finance lease right-of-use assets
1,047
1,871
Non-cash severance and retention bonus expense associated with an acquisition
—
6,152
Other non-cash activity
2,147
283
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
50,068
55,024
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
10,473
(8,523)
Operating lease right-of-use assets
9,275
13,233
Other non-current assets
2,570
921
Accounts payable
(1,183)
(10,844)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
16,899
(39,639)
Deferred revenue, current and non-current
(35,917)
(36,417)
Operating lease liabilities, current and non-current
(22,800)
(10,792)
Other non-current liabilities
452
31
Net cash used in operating activities
(295,500)
(252,198)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
(40,801)
(52,271)
Deconsolidation of subsidiaries – cash
(42,980)
(55,721)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired
—
82,367
Asset acquisitions, net of cash acquired
—
(7,639)
Purchases of notes receivable
(350)
(40,000)
Proceeds from notes receivable
—
10,000
Purchase of investment in equity securities
—
(3,691)
Proceeds from sale of equipment
4,428
—
Other
(990)
(439)
Net cash used in investing activities
(80,693)
(67,394)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
93
240
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards
(23)
(981)
Principal payments on finance/capital leases and lease financing obligation
(1,295)
(1,237)
Proceeds from public offering, net of issuance costs
—
99,303
Contingent consideration payment
(1,411)
(521)
Payment of equity issuance costs
(580)
(1,467)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
(3,216)
95,337
Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents
(588)
908
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
(379,997)
(223,347)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
1,315,792
1,550,004
Restricted cash, beginning of period
53,789
42,924
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period
1,369,581
1,592,928
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
944,073
1,315,792
Restricted cash, end of period
45,511
53,789
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period
$ 989,584
$ 1,369,581
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Selected Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(in thousands, unaudited)
Three Months Ended December 31,
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2023
2022
2023
2022
Net loss attributable to Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. stockholders
$ (211,694)
$ (175,468)
$ (892,869)
$ (2,104,929)
Interest income
(13,226)
(11,412)
(57,217)
(20,262)
Interest expense
15
77
93
106
Income tax benefit
(198)
(14,770)
(71)
(15,027)
Depreciation and amortization
12,837
15,667
70,507
42,552
EBITDA
(212,266)
(185,906)
(879,557)
(2,097,560)
Stock-based compensation (1)
43,584
111,230
234,908
1,940,920
Impairment of long-lived assets (2)
—
—
121,404
—
Merger and acquisition related expenses (3)
23,663
26,045
70,771
46,229
Loss on investments
10,012
13,354
54,827
53,335
Loss (gain) on deconsolidation of subsidiaries
42,502
—
42,502
(31,889)
Loss on equity method investments (4)
1,119
(7,612)
2,635
45,315
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities
(6,555)
(28,871)
(5,168)
(124,970)
Change in fair value of notes receivable
2,174
(3,924)
2,295
(4,153)
Adjusted EBITDA
$ (95,767)
$ (75,684)
$ (355,383)
$ (172,773)
(1)
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, includes $5.0 million and $10.3 million, respectively, in related employer payroll taxes.
(2)
For the year ended December 31, 2023, includes $25.2 million impairment loss on lab equipment and $96.2 million impairment loss on a right-of-use asset and the related leasehold improvements associated with an exited Zymergen leased facility.
(3)
Represents transaction and integration costs directly related to mergers and acquisitions, including: (i) due diligence, legal, consulting and accounting fees associated with acquisitions, (ii) post-acquisition employee retention bonuses and severance payments, (iii) the fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities resulting from acquisitions, (iv) acquired intangible assets expensed as in-process research and development, and (v) costs associated with the Zymergen Bankruptcy, as well as securities litigation costs, net of insurance recovery.
(4)
Represents losses on equity method investments under the hypothetical liquidation at book value method, net of losses attributable to non-controlling interests.
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Segment Information
(in thousands, unaudited)
Three Months Ended December 31,
Year Ended December 31,
2023
2022
2023
2022
Revenue:
Cell Engineering
$ 26,976
$ 53,257
$ 143,531
$ 143,666
Biosecurity
7,779
45,028
107,924
334,040
Total revenue
34,755
98,285
251,455
477,706
Segment cost of revenue:
Biosecurity
6,611
30,218
54,005
204,216
Segment research and development expense:
Cell Engineering
77,999
95,408
353,493
273,356
Biosecurity
191
590
1,599
1,937
Total segment research and development expense
78,190
95,998
355,092
275,293
Segment general and administrative expense:
Cell Engineering
60,047
63,686
215,263
168,586
Biosecurity
12,652
13,670
55,514
56,353
Total segment general and administrative expense
72,699
77,356
270,777
224,939
Segment operating (loss) income:
Cell Engineering
(111,070)
(105,837)
(425,225)
(298,276)
Biosecurity
(11,675)
550
(3,194)
71,534
Total segment operating loss
(122,745)
(105,287)
(428,419)
(226,742)
Operating expenses not allocated to segments:
Stock-based compensation (1)
43,584
111,230
234,908
1,940,920
Impairment of long-lived assets
—
—
121,404
—
Depreciation and amortization
12,837
15,667
70,507
42,552
Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability
(1,049)
(1,320)
9,168
(1,262)
Loss from operations
$ (178,117)
$ (230,864)
$ (864,406)
$ (2,208,952)
(1)
Includes $5.0 million and $10.3 million in related employer payroll taxes for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks
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April 20, 2026By
TORONTO, April 20, 2026 /CNW/ – commonsku, the connected workflow platform trusted by 950+ distributors driving $1.9 billion in network volume, today announced the creation of a dedicated AI + Strategy role, promoting Bobby Lehew to Chief AI Officer to lead the company’s AI initiative for customers and the platform. The move makes commonsku the first platform in the promotional products industry to invest at the leadership level in AI strategy shaped directly by distributor needs.
The new role bridges the gap between what AI can do and what commonsku’s customers need it to solve, owning the intelligence loop between customers, product, and the AI landscape. What makes the role distinct: it combines AI landscape intelligence, product strategy influence, direct customer engagement, and industry thought leadership in a single role.
A Natural Evolution
Lehew brings more than 30 years of experience in the promotional products industry to the role. Prior to joining commonsku, he was the CEO of Robyn Promotions, a company among the first wave of distributors who architected the model of technology driven e-commerce company stores in the industry, earning three consecutive Inc. 5000 rankings. Always tech-forward in his work, his industry recognition includes multiple Gold and Silver PPAI Pyramid Awards.
The shift to AI strategy is a natural next chapter for Lehew. At commonsku, he built the company’s content engine from scratch — co-hosting the skucast (350+ episodes, the #1 promotional products podcast) while leaning heavily into AI for all his work. He is editor of The AI Promo Brief, the industry’s go-to resource for AI developments in promotional products, and speaks frequently on the future of merch and the cultural shifts transforming how we sell. At PPAI Expo 2026, his AI session packed the room to capacity and was named a must-attend session by PPAI editors. The industry has been watching Lehew move deeper into AI for over a year. This role makes it official.
Investing in AI for Customers
“The industry is at an inflection point with AI, and distributors need a partner who understands their business,” said Catherine Graham, CEO of commonsku. “commonsku has always been built ‘by promo, for promo.’ Bobby has three decades of that expertise, a passion for helping our customers, and the strategic insight to shape AI tools for future growth. This role reflects our mission: making sure our AI tools solve real problems for real distributors.”
“The companies pulling ahead are the ones leading with customer intelligence – letting what they learn from their community shape what they build and advancing with the frontier of AI development. That’s what this role is designed to do. I’ll be talking with our customers at every level about AI and making sure the features we build make work smarter, drive growth, and eliminate friction.” said Lehew.
“Bobby and I have been creative partners for years, always pushing each other to see around corners for this industry,” said Mark Graham, President of commonsku. “We’ve launched multiple projects together and helped educate and raise the standard for what the future distributor can look like. This role is a natural evolution of that passion. He deeply understands the industry and the distributor’s pain points, and he sees with us an incredible opportunity with AI. We’re thrilled to build commonsku’s AI future together.”
commonsku’s AI investments are already in motion. The skubot Mockup Generator is in beta with Advanced and Enterprise customers, a new Opportunity Agent is entering beta as an AI-powered business intelligence tool, and the company’s immediate roadmap includes a Description Rewriter, Auto-Art Configuration, and a Presentation Generator with much more to come.
About commonsku
commonsku is the workflow platform of choice for the promotional products industry. Built by industry experts, it combines CRM, order management, and social collaboration tools in one cloud-based solution. Over 950 distributors and the industry’s largest suppliers rely on commonsku to power $1.9 billion in network volume. With commonsku, teams process more orders, work more efficiently, and grow their sales faster. Learn more at www.commonsku.com.
SOURCE commonsku
Technology
The Oxygen Plan Corporation Files Utility Patent on O2OS™ Pre-Diagnostic Behavioral Health Architecture — Measurement, Routing, Reimbursement, Governance; 2008 Prior Art
Published
36 seconds agoon
April 20, 2026By
Four-layer architecture spans measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance. 2008 filing predates the Apple App Store and the current generation of digital behavioral health platforms.
MINNEAPOLIS, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Oxygen Plan Corporation today filed a Track One (prioritized examination) utility patent application covering the O2OS™ architecture — spanning measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance — with foundational disclosures dating to April 22, 2008.
O2OS™ establishes a structured, pre-diagnostic measurement framework that makes behavioral health risk visible, routable, and economically measurable before it becomes a clinical event.
The 2008 filing predates the launch of the Apple App Store.
The subsequent 2009 PCT publication predates the current generation of digital behavioral health platforms.
THE ARCHITECTURE
O2OS™ is a four-layer operating system for behavioral health:
Measurement — Stress Number™, a composite score across Home, Work, and Social domains (each scored 0–100), designed to produce a bounded, interoperable pre-diagnostic behavioral health signalRouting — Smart Referral Engine™, threshold-triggered and tri-hierarchical, designed to match individuals to appropriate resourcesReimbursement — CPT-aligned workflow support, intended to enable billing integrationGovernance — the Automated Governance Utility™, a license registry and access control layer designed to support neutrality and structured participation
The system operates as a closed-loop architecture in which pre-diagnostic measurement informs routing, routing aligns with reimbursement pathways, and governance enables coordinated operation at scale.
STRUCTURAL GAPS
Behavioral health systems currently operate with two unresolved structural gaps:
Penetration Gap — the majority of individuals remain unmeasured at the pre-diagnostic stageRouting Gap — measured individuals are not consistently routed to appropriate resources
O2OS™ is designed as a pre-diagnostic measurement and routing architecture that addresses both conditions within a unified system.
FEDERAL ALIGNMENT
O2OS™ is aligned with established federal and reimbursement pathways, including CMS Coverage with Evidence Development (CED), CPT 96127 and CPT 96138, Medicaid 1115 Waivers, HEDIS quality measures, and CMS Aim 1 for prevention and early detection.
CLINICAL VALIDATION
Stress Number™ has been validated working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic (Archives of Psychology, 2018, N=292). O2OS™ functions as a pre-diagnostic measurement layer designed to support routing toward existing clinical tools and workflows.
About The Oxygen Plan Corporation
The Oxygen Plan Corporation develops O2OS™ — a pre-diagnostic measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance architecture for behavioral health. Foundational disclosures date to 2008 prior art, with peer-reviewed clinical validation conducted working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic.
Learn more at:
Statements describe system architecture, intended capabilities, and alignment pathways. Implementation and outcomes vary by partner, deployment, and regulatory context.
Media Contact
Chris Lechuga, The Oxygen Plan Corporation, 1 877 897-6520, chris@rockerpr.com, www.theoxygenplan.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-oxygen-plan-corporation-files-utility-patent-on-o2os-pre-diagnostic-behavioral-health-architecture–measurement-routing-reimbursement-governance-2008-prior-art-302746874.html
SOURCE The Oxygen Plan Corporation
Technology
West Monroe Named in Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services Landscape by Independent Research Firm
Published
38 seconds agoon
April 20, 2026By
Firm believes inclusion reflects its ability to connect customer experience, AI, and execution to measurable business outcomes
CHICAGO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — West Monroe, a global business and technology consulting firm, announced it has been named among Notable Providers in The Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services Landscape, Q2 2026. The report serves as a resource for executives and customer experience leaders evaluating customer experience strategy consulting providers, offering an overview of 28 providers across the market based on factors such as geographic focus, industry expertise, and business scenarios.
As organizations look to increase customer stickiness and drive growth, many are increasing investment in customer experience strategy while also exploring how AI can enable more personalized, efficient, and scalable experiences. At the same time, organizations face growing pressure to demonstrate clear business value—driving demand for partners that can embed data and AI into end-to-end customer journeys and translate those investments into measurable outcomes.
“Customer experience is evolving as AI expands what’s possible—and raises the bar for how organizations deliver it,” said Chuck Malone, Platforms & Customer Strategy Lead at West Monroe. “We believe our inclusion reflects our focus on helping clients move beyond strategy to execution, embedding data and AI into customer journeys in a way that improves engagement, strengthens retention, and delivers measurable business results.”
West Monroe brings longstanding experience helping organizations design and implement customer-centric strategies across industries including healthcare, banking, energy and utilities, insurance, and consumer & industrial products.
As part of the report, Forrester asked each provider included in the Landscape to identify the business scenarios for which clients most often engage them and highlighted extended scenarios that differentiate providers. In addition to the core business scenarios identified in the report—business assessment and analysis, customer research, and vision and strategy setting—West Monroe highlighted prioritization and roadmapping, technology transformation, and workforce enablement among the extended scenarios.
A core focus of the firm’s customer experience work is contact center and service transformation—helping organizations redesign customer journeys, modernize operations, and implement AI-enabled platforms to improve service experiences and reduce cost-to-serve.
The firm’s customer experience work has delivered measurable results for clients across industries, including:
Healthcare: Redesigned critical contact center workflows for a healthcare organization, improving first-call resolution by 68%, reducing clinic task volume by 33%, and increasing patient satisfaction.Energy & Utilities: Built a Salesforce-powered digital portal in 60 days to support solar rebate programs, reducing approval timelines by more than 60% and enabling administration of 25+ clean energy programs.Banking: Led a digital transformation for a mid-market bank, reimagining onboarding, servicing, and program management—driving more than $100M in new deposits, $550K+ in annual cost avoidance, and a 96% platform adoption rate.
Learn more about West Monroe’s customer experience services: https://www.westmonroe.com/services/customer-experience-platforms.
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.
About West Monroe
West Monroe is a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating value for our clients. We co-create solutions that accelerate results now and prepare industries to tackle what’s next. We’re excited by the possibilities that technology creates. We work with our clients to deliver on the possible, building on their goals, generating fresh insights and creating inspiring outcomes.
We excel at the intersection of industry, strategy, people and technology—always driving rapid impact. Our all-in approach comes from our unique employee ownership structure. Our clients’ success is our success. From the beginning, our growth has come from putting people at the center. Fortune and USA Today consistently celebrate West Monroe as a top workplace, and we’re recognized as a leading consultancy by Forbes and Business Insider. Let’s find more value for your business.
Share our passion at westmonroe.com
Media Inquiries
Christina Galoozis
Director, Communications & Public Relations
cgaloozis@westmonroe.com
847-302-1762
Shira Cohen
Manager, Public Relations
scohen@westmonroe.com
443-841-6879
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/west-monroe-named-in-customer-experience-strategy-consulting-services-landscape-by-independent-research-firm-302747374.html
SOURCE West Monroe
Bobby Lehew Named commonsku’s Chief AI Officer — an Industry First in Promo
The Oxygen Plan Corporation Files Utility Patent on O2OS™ Pre-Diagnostic Behavioral Health Architecture — Measurement, Routing, Reimbursement, Governance; 2008 Prior Art
West Monroe Named in Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services Landscape by Independent Research Firm
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