Once a Scientist 93. Jason Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks, on the future of autonomous laboratories
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Feb 25, 2026 
Jason Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks and trained in biological engineering, discusses lab automation and the rise of autonomous laboratories. He explains the foundry model, the 0–5 levels of lab automation, and the difference between rigid automation and flexible autonomy. He also covers integrating hundreds of instruments, translating scientist requests into executable protocols, and the path toward goal-driven labs.
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Ginkgo's Origin Story In The 2008 Crash
- Jason Kelly bootstrapped Ginkgo from MIT roots, used SBIRs and early commercial deals before YC and went public in 2021.
- He recounts starting in 2008 during the financial crash, buying lab equipment at auctions and scaling via government grants.
Use Government Grants To Bootstrap Early Biotech Work
- Apply for non-dilutive government grants early to bridge founding stages and translation.
- Jason credits SBIRs and USG translational funding as key to Ginkgo's first $4M and advises early-career founders to pursue them.
Abstraction Is The Key To Scaling Bioengineering
- Tom Knight introduced abstraction to biology so genome design can be separated from bench work.
- Abstraction lets biologists focus on design while automation/miniaturization experts optimize lab hardware, mirroring computer/software split Jason Kelly describes.