IndieBio’s Bay Area incubator is set to unveil its 15th cohort of biotech startups. We have taken a special interest in a few startups that are making bold and potentially groundbreaking claims that could have a significant impact. Biotech has been expanding into various industries as companies realize the limitations of current processes and organisms. One standout from the latest cohort is a microbiome company focused on the microbiome of copper ore, which may sound surprising at first. We spoke with IndieBio’s chief science officer, Wes Dang, who reassured us that despite the unusual nature of some of these companies, they are serious and undergo thorough verification processes. Stream Genomics is one of the startups that caught our attention. They have developed a genome sequencing method and device that is faster, cheaper, and requires less wet-lab preparation compared to the market leader, Illumina. Another promising company is AquaLith, a battery tech startup that claims to have created a silicon anode material with exceptional durability. Farm Minerals is offering a synthetic fertilizer for free to the first million acres, highlighting its cost-effectiveness. Transition Biomining is exploring a unique approach to mineral extraction, involving the use of microbes on rocks. The article also provides a brief overview of other startups in the cohort and hints at their ambitious goals. The incubator’s demo day in June will offer more insights into the progress of these pioneering companies.