Industrial biotechnology company Lygos, Inc. won the “Bio-Based Chemical Innovation of the Year” award at the inaugural Bio-Based Live conference in San Francisco, California, for its biobased method to produce malonic acid, a versatile chemical used to make products ranging from flavorings in food to ultraviolet radiation-resistant coatings. Lygos developed the process and demonstrated pre-pilot-scale production in early 2015 at ABPDU. The “Bio-Based Chemical Innovation of the Year” award is one of only two awards given at Bio-Based Live, which brought together more than 150 bioenergy leaders to focus on the commercialization of bioproducts.