The Inside Story Of How SoftBank-Backed Zymergen Imploded Four Months After Its $3 Billion IPO

<p>The startup had attracted more than $1 billion in venture capital from the likes of SoftBank and Baillie Gifford, selling investors on its moonshot vision: crafting products normally made of petrochemicals, from optic film for smartphone screens to mosquito repellant, in a way that’s better for the environment. Just four months after its $3 billion IPO, Zymergen made a stunning announcement — shocking investors and tanking its stock that same day.</p>