| Founded | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2014 |
| Country | USA |
| Sector | Climate |
| Total raised | $640M+ total (Khosla Ventures, IPO proceeds) |
| Collapse type | Slow Death |
| Founder | Paul O'Connor |
KiOR
"Vinod Khosla's cellulosic biofuel company that promised to convert wood chips into gasoline — Mississippi State invested $75M and sued for fraud when production never materialised"
Years-long decline before final shutdown
Key Events Timeline
KiOR was founded in 2007 and backed by Khosla Ventures, claiming to have developed a breakthrough catalyst technology that could convert biomass (wood chips) into "drop-in" liquid transportation fuels at commercially viable yields.
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