SunEthanol

Qteros (originally SunEthanol) was a biotechnology company that specialized in the production of cellulosic ethanol through a proprietary "consolidated bioprocessing" (CBP) platform. The company's core technology was the Q Microbe (Clostridium phytofermentans), a naturally occurring microorganism discovered at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that could simultaneously break down biomass and ferment it into ethanol. Despite raising over $50 million from high-profile investors such as Venrock, BP, and Soros Fund Management, the company struggled to commercialize its technology at scale. Qteros ceased operations in late 2012, and its assets and equipment were subsequently auctioned.