The Story of Aclid: Building the Security Foundation for Synthetic Biology’s Future

The democratization of biology brought unprecedented capabilities—and unprecedented risks. Today, as Kevin Flyangolts revealed in a recent episode of Category Visionaries, “you can order DNA from anthrax, from controlled agents really just online.” This reality sparked the creation of Aclid, a company building the security infrastructure for synthetic biology’s future.

From Software to Synthetic Biology

Kevin’s path to biosecurity wasn’t traditional. With a background in software engineering, he had previously helped scale Umbrella, a home services startup, through its acquisition by IAC. But the possibilities of synthetic biology captured his imagination: “I was absolutely just enamored with how you can program biology. Synthetic biology took me over pretty quickly and I never turned back.”

The transition from software to biotech might seem unexpected, but the parallels between programming computers and programming life itself created a natural bridge. As Kevin explains it to those unfamiliar with the field: “We all know that living things are made up of DNA. That’s how we make our brain, that’s how you make the arm, how all your organs are made. All of it is encoded in this language of life called DNA.”

Finding the Right Co-founder

The technical challenge was clear, but Kevin knew he needed deep domain expertise to complement his software background. A connection led him to Professor Harris Wong at Columbia University. “We got connected immediately hit it off and realized we have a lot of the same ambitions, super complementary skill sets,” Kevin recalls. “He obviously has a lot deeper of bio background than I do, and I come from an operational background.”

This partnership proved crucial. While Harris maintained his position as a professor, bringing scientific domain knowledge and industry networks, Kevin focused on company operations and product development. The combination of technical expertise and business acumen created a foundation for tackling complex biosecurity challenges.

Building in a Time of Crisis

Aclid’s timing was significant. “This was at the height of the pandemic,” Kevin notes. “Obviously, security was top of mind. There was a whole ton of attention being put on this space of synthetic biology and what it means to do it safely.”

The parallels to today’s AI regulation discussions are striking. Like AI companies now, Aclid faced the challenge of advancing innovation while implementing necessary safeguards. “We definitely didn’t want to be in a place where we restricted all the research and stopped the field where it was, but we also needed to make sure that it was growing in a sustainable way, where were handling all the risks along the way.”

From Manual to Automated Security

The initial discovery process revealed a crucial insight: much of the biosecurity screening process was manual and inefficient. Manufacturers were “calling up a customer” and manually screening orders. Aclid’s solution automated this process end-to-end, helping manufacturers “avoid having to screen their order and look at what’s inside. And instead of relying on more software and automation to tell them when there are real risks.”

This automation extended beyond just screening. The system helps customers automatically certify “that they have the right permissions, the right facilities and the right documents to actually ship the order and do it without any type of liability or risk of non compliance.”

Looking to the Future

As synthetic biology continues to evolve, Aclid’s vision extends beyond immediate compliance needs. Kevin sees security becoming “an important layer of synthetic biology once it’s a mature industry.” Drawing parallels to the evolution of internet security, he notes that cybersecurity only became a serious consideration “about five to ten years after the Internet went live and everybody was using it.”

The difference? Aclid aims to build these security systems proactively rather than reactively. Their goal is to create infrastructure similar to financial security systems: automated, seamless checks that protect against misuse while facilitating legitimate research and development.

This approach positions Aclid at the intersection of innovation and security—a crucial junction as synthetic biology moves from research labs to widespread commercial applications. As Kevin puts it, they’re “helping build the infrastructure that helps scientists get access to the tools and the products that they need with as little as possible hurdles.”

For an industry with both immense promise and significant risks, this balance between accessibility and security could define synthetic biology’s future. Aclid isn’t just building a company; they’re creating the foundation for an entire industry’s safe and sustainable growth.