Cobalt Technologies Adds Bunge as Strategic Investor

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cobalt Technologies ("Cobalt"), a leading developer of next generation bio-based chemicals, today announced that Bunge Global Innovation LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of global agribusiness and food company Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) ("Bunge"), has joined its Series E Preferred Stock round as a strategic investor.

The investment follows Cobalt's agreement with Bunge and specialty chemicals company Rhodia Poliamida e Especialidades Ltda. ("Rhodia") to operate a pilot plant demonstrating the production of n-butanol utilizing sugarcane bagasse as feedstock at the Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencia e Tecnologia do Bioetanol facility in Campinas, Brazil.  The terms of the agreement also provide for the parties to work together on co-location of a demonstration scale facility and to consider co-location of a commercial-scale biorefinery at a Bunge sugarcane mill.  N-butanol is a widely used industrial chemical found in paints, lacquers and other surface coatings.

"We are pleased to have forged this strategic partnership with Bunge, one of the largest sugar producers in Brazil," said Bob Mayer, CEO, Cobalt Technologies.  "Bunge's investment and supply of raw material for feedstock will allow us to begin demonstrating the value of our biobutanol technology and help unlock its potential."

"Cobalt's promising technology presents the opportunity to leverage Bunge's sugarcane processing assets to produce new high-value products that diversify our revenue streams and enhance returns," said Ben Pearcy, Managing Director, Sugar & Bioenergy and Chief Development Officer, Bunge Limited.

All institutional investors from previous rounds participated in the Series E Preferred Stock round, including Pinnacle Ventures, Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, VantagePoint Capital Partners, The Whittemore Collection, Ltd., Life Sciences Partners (LSP), @Ventures and Harris and Harris.  Cobalt was advised by Pacific Crest Securities.

About Cobalt Technologies
Cobalt Technologies is a leader in commercializing the production of bio n-butanol as a renewable chemical and fuel.  N-butanol is a widely used industrial chemical found in paints, lacquers and other surface coatings, with a global market of over $5 billion.  By producing low-cost bio n-butanol, Cobalt's unique technology enables the use of bio n-butanol as a platform molecule for the production of a broad array of fuels and chemicals, including jet fuel, bio-based plastics and synthetic rubber.  Cobalt's technology platform offers a continuous process to efficiently convert diverse non-food feedstocks into biobutanol.  Engineered to achieve low costs through its proprietary biocatalyst, advanced bioreactor, energy efficient design and the use of low-cost feedstock, Cobalt is making biobutanol and its derivatives a cost-effective substitute to petroleum-based chemical products.  Cobalt is based in Mountain View, Calif.  For more information, please visit www.cobalttech.com.

About Bunge Limited
Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com, NYSE: BG) is a leading global agribusiness and food company operating in approximately 40 countries with over 35,000 employees.  Bunge buys, sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal for animal feed and edible oil products for commercial customers and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills wheat and corn to make ingredients used by food companies; and sells fertilizer in North and South America.  Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York.

SOURCE Cobalt Technologies