Cornell Spinouts REEgen and RETRN Bio Expand with New Ithaca Manufacturing Space

The startups will scale up operations and create dozens of new jobs at the SouthWorks development on Ithaca's South Hill.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 1:44am

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Two startups that emerged from Cornell University's business incubators, REEgen and RETRN Bio, are expanding their operations in Ithaca, New York. The companies will move into a new 17,000 square foot facility at the SouthWorks development, which recently received $38 million in funding from New York's Regional Economic Development Council. The space will allow the startups to scale up their manufacturing capabilities and create over 40 new jobs in the region.

Why it matters

The expansion of REEgen and RETRN Bio at SouthWorks addresses a shortage of affordable manufacturing space for startups in the Southern Tier region. The new facility will provide the critical infrastructure and resources needed for these cleantech companies to commercialize their innovative solutions and keep growing in Ithaca.

The details

REEgen, a Cornell spinout that engineers bacteria to extract rare earth elements from industrial waste, and RETRN Bio, a startup that upcycles agricultural waste into bioplastics, will both scale up operations at the new SouthWorks development. The 17,000 square foot facility will serve as a biomanufacturing pre-commercialization space, allowing the startups to access the capital equipment needed to test and accelerate their scale-up efforts.

  • SouthWorks was recently awarded $38 million in funding from New York's Regional Economic Development Council.
  • REEgen plans to hire 30 additional full-time employees for its business, marketing, and R&D teams in the next five years.
  • RETRN Bio expects to grow from its current 6 full-time employees to a team of 20 or more in the next five years.

The players

REEgen

A Cornell spinout that engineers bacteria to extract rare earth elements from industrial waste.

RETRN Bio

A startup that upcycles agricultural waste into bioplastics.

SouthWorks

A new mixed-use, adaptive reuse development in Ithaca, New York that will include an innovation hub to retain startups in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and agtech.

Alexa Schmitz

Co-founder and CEO of REEgen.

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What they’re saying

“One of the biggest challenges for commercializing clean tech solutions is accessing the capital equipment needed to test scale-up. Southworks' planned facilities for regional startups will be an ideal fit for this unique challenge, allowing REEgen and other startups at our stage to access the critical infrastructure needed to develop and accelerate scale-up efforts.”

— Alexa Schmitz, Co-founder and CEO of REEgen

What’s next

The collaboration between REEgen, RETRN Bio, and SouthWorks sets the stage for future pilot capacity in other spaces, such as clean room space, materials science characterization and pressure chemistry for new materials development. Ultimately, SouthWorks aims to provide 70,000 SF of technology development and advanced manufacturing space in key industries.

The takeaway

The expansion of REEgen and RETRN Bio at the new SouthWorks development in Ithaca demonstrates the region's commitment to supporting cleantech startups and retaining innovative companies as they grow. By providing the critical infrastructure and resources these startups need, SouthWorks is helping to bridge the gap between incubation and full-scale manufacturing, keeping jobs and economic opportunities in the Southern Tier.