SEC Form S-3 filed by Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings Inc.
$DNA
Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances)
Health Care
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 7, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
GINKGO BIOWORKS HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 87-2652913 | ||||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||
27 Drydock Avenue
8th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
(877) 422-5362
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Steven Coen
Chief Financial Officer
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
27 Drydock Avenue
8th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
(877) 422-5362
(Name, address including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With copies to:
Marko Zatylny Ropes & Gray LLP Prudential Tower 800 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02199 (617) 951-7000 | Karen Tepichin General Counsel Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. 27 Drydock Avenue 8th Floor Boston, MA 02210 (877) 422-5362 | ||||
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | ||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | ||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | ||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
The registrant (the “Registrant”) hereby amends this registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
Explanatory Note
Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6), the securities being registered hereunder include $400,000,000 of unsold securities, which remain unsold on the date hereof (the “Unsold Securities”) previously registered by the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-267743) which was initially filed with SEC on October 5, 2022 and declared effective by the SEC on October 14, 2025 (the “Prior Registration Statement”). The Prior Registration Statement registered the offer and sale of up to $500,000,000 of an indeterminate number of shares of Class A common stock, preferred stock, warrants, and/or units. Of such securities, $400,000,000 remain unsold, all of which the Registrant has determined to include in this Registration Statement. The aggregate filing fee paid in connection with such Unsold Securities was $44,080 (calculated at the filing fee rate in effect at the time of the filing of the Prior Registration Statement). The Registrant is not required to pay any additional registration fee with respect to the Unsold Securities being included in this Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 415(a)(6), because such Unsold Securities (and associated registration fees) are being carried over from the Prior Registration Statement to this Registration Statement. Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6), the offering of the Unsold Securities registered on the Prior Registration Statement will be deemed terminated as of the date of effectiveness of this Registration Statement.
The registration fee previously paid by the Registrant relating to the Unsold Securities included on this Registration Statement will continue to be applied to such Unsold Securities. During the grace period afforded by Rule 415(a)(5) under the Securities Act, the Registrant may continue to offer and sell under the Prior Registration Statement the Unsold Securities being registered hereunder. To the extent that, after the filing date hereof and prior to the effectiveness of this Registration Statement, the Registrant sells any Unsold Securities pursuant to the Prior Registration Statement, the Registrant will identify in a pre-effective amendment to this Registration Statement the updated number of Unsold Securities from the Prior Registration Statement to be included in this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) and the updated amount of new securities to be registered on this Registration Statement.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 7, 2025
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
GINKGO BIOWORKS HOLDINGS, INC.
$500,000,000
Class A Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
Units
We, Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc., may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more series or issuances and on terms that we will determine at the time of the offering, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, up to an aggregate amount of $500,000,000.
We will provide specific terms of any offering in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement as well as the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you purchase any of the securities offered hereby.
These securities may be offered and sold in the same offering or in separate offerings; to or through underwriters, dealers, and agents; or directly to purchasers. The names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents involved in the sale of our securities and their compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 (“Class A common stock”), is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “DNA.” On August 6, 2025, the closing price of our Class A common stock was $13.96.
Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 2, and any applicable prospectus supplement, and under similar headings in the other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated August 7, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to give you information different from that contained in this prospectus. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus, regardless of when this prospectus is delivered or when any sale of our securities occurs. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus may be sold in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $500,000,000. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including all documents incorporated herein by reference, together with additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” below. To the extent there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.
This prospectus does not include all of the information that is in the registration statement. We omitted certain parts of the registration statement from this prospectus as permitted by the SEC. We refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits for additional information about us and the securities that may be sold under this prospectus.
We have not authorized any dealer, agent or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or an accompanying prospectus supplement. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, if any, do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, if any, is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.
Unless otherwise stated or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Company,” “Ginkgo,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
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SUMMARY OF THE PROSPECTUS
This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The summary may not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in our securities. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors” contained in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, before making an investment decision.
The Company
Ginkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. Ginkgo R&D Solutions delivers customizable R&D packages—such as protein engineering, nucleic acid design, and cell-free systems—giving partners a comprehensive way to accelerate innovation across therapeutics, diagnostics, and manufacturing. Ginkgo Automation sells modular, integrated laboratory automation so scientists can spend their days planning and analyzing experiments rather than pipetting in the lab. Ginkgo Datapoints uses in-house automation to generate the large lab data sets to power AI models. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying next-generation infrastructure and technologies designed to detect and identify to a wide variety of biological threats.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive office is located at 27 Drydock Avenue, 8th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, and our telephone number is (877) 422-5362. Our corporate website address is www.ginkgobioworks.com.
The information contained on, or accessible through, our corporate website is not incorporated into this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part, and should not be considered part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part. The inclusion of the corporate website address is an inactive textual reference only.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Part I, Item 1A-Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025, any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and as described or may be described in any subsequent Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” as well as in any other documents we file with the SEC that are deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the “Risk Factors” section in the applicable prospectus supplement for a discussion of the factors you should carefully consider before deciding to purchase our securities. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider these risks as well as other information we include or incorporate by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities. The discussion of risks includes or refers to forward-looking statements; you should read the explanation of the qualifications and limitations on such forward-looking statements discussed elsewhere in this prospectus.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the other documents we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated herein by reference, contain forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, the plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial, of Ginkgo. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of Ginkgo. Although Ginkgo believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, Ginkgo cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words “believes”, “estimates”, “expects”, “projects”, “forecasts”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “seeks”, “plans”, “scheduled”, “anticipates” or “intends” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about:
•Ginkgo’s ability to raise additional capital in the future;
•factors relating to the business, operations and financial performance of Ginkgo, including:
◦Ginkgo’s ability to develop and expand its offerings;
◦the performance and output of Ginkgo’s cell engineering and biosecurity offerings;
◦the anticipated growth of Ginkgo’s biomonitoring and bioinformatics services and the relative value of the services on Ginkgo’s future Biosecurity revenue;
◦the scope and timing of Ginkgo’s partnerships around the world;
◦Ginkgo’s ability to effectively manage its organizational changes, including its restructuring actions and facility consolidations commenced in 2024, and related impacts on Ginkgo’s financial performance;
◦Ginkgo’s exposure to the volatility and liquidity risks inherent in holding equity or convertible debt interests in certain of its customers;
◦Ginkgo’s expectations regarding research and development (“R&D”), general and administrative (“G&A”) and restructuring expenses;
◦the acquisition and integration of companies, assets or intellectual property that advance Ginkgo’s objectives; and
◦costs required to maintain, expand and protect Ginkgo’s intellectual property.
Each forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others:
•intense competition and competitive pressures from other companies worldwide in the industries in which Ginkgo operates;
•litigation, including securities or shareholder litigation, and the ability to adequately protect Ginkgo’s intellectual property rights;
•rapidly changing technology and extensive competition in the synthetic biology industry that could make the products and processes Ginkgo is developing obsolete or non-competitive unless it is able to successfully collaborate on the development of new and improved products and processes and pursue new market opportunities;
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•Ginkgo’s ability to convert potential customers from “on prem” R&D to outsourced services, Ginkgo’s reliance on its customers to develop, produce and manufacture products using the engineered cells and/or biomanufacturing processes that Ginkgo develops and Ginkgo’s ability to accurately predict customer demand, including with respect to the data we access and hold;
•Ginkgo’s ability to comply with laws and regulations applicable to its business;
•market conditions and global and economic factors beyond Ginkgo’s control, including initiatives undertaken by the U.S. government in the biotechnology sector, the frequency and scale of biological risks and threats, and the future potential and commercial applications of artificial intelligence (“AI”) and the biotechnology sector;
•the success of Ginkgo’s programs, including the growing efficiency and cost-advantage of cell engineering services, and their potential to contribute revenue, and the relative contribution of Ginkgo’s programs to its future revenue, including the potential for future revenue related to downstream value share in the form of potential future milestone payments, royalties, and/or equity consideration; and
•other factors detailed under the section entitled “Risk Factors.”
These and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this prospectus are more fully described under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. The risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” are not exhaustive. Other sections of this prospectus describe additional factors that could adversely affect the business, financial condition or results of Ginkgo. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all such risk factors, nor can Ginkgo assess the impact of all such risk factors on the business of Ginkgo, or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance.
In particular, you should consider the numerous risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025, any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and as described or may be described in any subsequent Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading “Item 1A.Risk Factors,” which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and any other documents we file with the SEC that are deemed incorporated by reference into this prospectus and in the “Risk Factors” section in the applicable prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information.” Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we make.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements attributable to Ginkgo or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. Ginkgo undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell securities in any of the ways described below or in any combination:
•to or through underwriters or dealers;
•through one or more agents;
•directly to purchasers or to a single purchaser; or
•in “at the market offerings,” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, or an exchange or otherwise.
The distribution of the securities by us may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:
•at a fixed price, or prices, which may be changed from time to time;
•at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;
•at prices related to such prevailing market prices; or
•at negotiated prices.
Each prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.
The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including the following:
•name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them;
•the public offering price of the securities and the proceeds to us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and
•any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed.
Any offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and may be changed from time to time.
Only the agents or underwriters named in each prospectus supplement are agents or underwriters in connection with the securities being offered thereby.
We may authorize underwriters, dealers or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in each applicable prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to such contracts shall not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in each applicable prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but shall in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in each applicable prospectus supplement, and each prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions we pay for solicitation of these contracts.
Agents, underwriters and other third parties described above may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution from us with respect to payments which the agents, underwriters or other third parties may be required to make in respect thereof. Agents, underwriters and such other third parties may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. We may also use underwriters or such other third parties with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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One or more firms, referred to as “remarketing firms,” may also offer or sell the securities, if a prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with a remarketing arrangement upon their purchase. Remarketing firms will act as principals for their own accounts or as our agents. These remarketing firms will offer or sell the securities in accordance with the terms of the securities. Each prospectus supplement will identify and describe any remarketing firm and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and will describe the remarketing firm’s compensation. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities they remarket. Remarketing firms may be entitled under agreements that may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.
Certain underwriters may use this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement for offers and sales related to market-making transactions in the securities. These underwriters may act as principal or agent in these transactions, and the sales will be made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of sale. Any underwriters involved in the sale of the securities may qualify as “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. In addition, the underwriters’ commissions, discounts or concessions may qualify as underwriters’ compensation under the Securities Act and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Our Class A common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Underwriters may make a market in our Class A common stock but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We can make no assurance as to the development, maintenance or liquidity of any trading market for the securities.
Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with rules and regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a short covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.
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DESCRIPTION OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK
The description of our Class A common stock is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
Under the terms of our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to issue up to and 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, in one or more series without stockholder approval. As of June 30, 2025, we had no shares of preferred stock outstanding. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock. It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of the holders of our common stock until the board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of preferred stock. However, effects of the issuance of preferred stock could include restricting dividends on common stock, diluting the voting power of common stock, impairing the liquidation rights of common stock, and making it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, which could have the effect of discouraging a third party from acquiring, or deterring a third party from paying a premium to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.
If we offer a specific class or series of preferred stock under this prospectus, we will describe the terms of the preferred stock in the prospectus supplement for such offering and will file a copy of the certificate establishing the terms of the preferred stock with the SEC. To the extent required, this description will include:
•the title and stated value;
•the number of shares offered, the liquidation preference per share and the purchase price;
•the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s), or method(s) of calculation for such dividends;
•whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate;
•the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;
•the provisions for a sinking fund, if any;
•the provisions for redemption, if applicable;
•any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market;
•whether the preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock, and, if applicable, the conversion price (or how it will be calculated) and conversion period;
•voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock;
•a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock;
•the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company; and
•any material limitations on issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
The preferred stock offered by this prospectus, when issued, will not have, or be subject to, any preemptive or similar rights.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for any series or class of preferred stock will be set forth in each applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants for the purchase of shares of our Class A common stock or preferred stock in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and the investors or a warrant agent. The following summary of material provisions of the warrants and warrant agreements are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the warrant agreement and warrant certificate applicable to a particular series of warrants. The terms of any warrants offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as the complete warrant agreements and warrant certificates that contain the terms of the warrants.
The particular terms of any issue of warrants will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the issue. Those terms may include:
•the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase such shares and the price at which such number of shares may be purchased upon such exercise;
•the designation, stated value and terms (including, without limitation, liquidation, dividend, conversion and voting rights) of the series of preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock;
•the date, if any, on and after which the warrants and the related preferred stock or common stock will be separately transferable;
•the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;
•the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which the right will expire;
•a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants; and
•any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange, exercise and settlement of the warrants.
Holders of equity warrants will not be entitled to:
•vote, consent or receive dividends;
•receive notice as shareholders with respect to any meeting of shareholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or
•exercise any rights as shareholders of Ginkgo.
Each warrant will entitle its holder to purchase the number of shares of preferred stock or common stock at the exercise price set forth in, or calculable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
A holder of warrant certificates may exchange them for new warrant certificates of different denominations, present them for registration of transfer and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Until any warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock are exercised, the holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying common stock or preferred stock, including any rights to receive dividends or payments upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up on the common stock or preferred stock, if any.
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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units consisting of any combination of the other types of securities offered under this prospectus in one or more series. We may evidence each series of units by unit certificates that we will issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into unit agreements with a unit agent. Each unit agent will be a bank or trust company that we select. We will indicate the name and address of the unit agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of units.
The following description, together with the additional information included in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the general features of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. You should read any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you related to the series of units being offered, as well as the complete unit agreements that contain the terms of the units. Specific unit agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and we will file as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from another report that we file with the SEC, the form of each unit agreement relating to units offered under this prospectus.
If we offer any units, certain terms of that series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following, as applicable:
•the title of the series of units;
•identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the units;
•the price or prices at which the units will be issued;
•the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units will be separately transferable;
•a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and
•any other terms of the units and their constituent securities.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC for the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not include all of the information contained in the registration statement. You should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits for additional information.
We are required to file annual and quarterly reports, current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. We make these documents publicly available, free of charge, on our website at www.ginkgobioworks.com as soon as reasonably practicable after filing such documents with the SEC. The information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus. You can read our SEC filings, including the registration statement, on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
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INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information in documents that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below and any future filings, including all filings made after the date of the filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement, made by us with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, except for information “furnished” under Items 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01 on Form 8-K or other information “furnished” to the SEC, which is not deemed filed and not incorporated in this prospectus, until the termination of the offering of securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We hereby incorporate by reference the following documents:
•our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025;
•our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2025, as filed with the SEC on August 7, 2025, and March 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on May 6, 2025;
•our Current Reports on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 21, 2025 and June 13, 2025; and
•the description of our Class A common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the SEC on September 16, 2021, as the description therein has been updated and superseded by the description of our Class A common stock contained in Exhibit 4.2 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed modified, superseded or replaced for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies, supersedes or replaces such statement.
You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
27 Drydock Avenue, 8th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
877-422-5362
Copies of these filings are also available, without charge, on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on our website at www.ginkgobioworks.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed electronically with the SEC. The information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus.
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the issuance of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Ropes & Gray LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. The validity of any securities will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of the Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. as of December 31, 2024 and for the year then ended, incorporated by reference in this Prospectus, and the effectiveness of Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports. Such financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
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PART II—INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be borne by the registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares of Class A common stock being registered hereby.
| Expense | Estimated Amount | ||||||||||
SEC registration fee | $ | 15,310 | (1) | ||||||||
Accounting fees and expenses | $ | * | |||||||||
Legal fees and expenses | $ | * | |||||||||
Financial printing and miscellaneous expenses | $ | * | |||||||||
Total | $ | * | |||||||||
__________________
(1)The $500,000,000 of securities registered pursuant to this registration statement includes $400,000,000 of securities (the “Unsold Securities”) registered pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended (No. 333-267743), which became effective on October 14, 2022. Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the filing fees previously paid in connection with the Unsold Securities will continue to be applied to the Unsold Securities.
*These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be defined at this time.
Item 15. Indemnification of Officers and Directors.
Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides in relevant part that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another entity, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that such person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was lawful.
Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides in relevant part that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another entity, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the amended and restated bylaws of the registrant provide for indemnification by the registrant of its directors, senior officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL enables a corporation in its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director or officer to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for violations of the director’s or officer’s fiduciary duty, provided that such provisions shall not eliminate or limit the liability of (i) a director or officer for any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to
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the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) a director or officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) a director under Section 174 of the DGCL, (iv) a director or officer for any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit, or (v) an officer in any action by or in the right of the corporation. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the registrant includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors and officers for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, as applicable, to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers in which we have agreed to indemnify, defend and hold harmless, and also advance expenses as incurred, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, from damage arising from the fact that such person is or was an officer or director of our company or our subsidiaries.
The indemnification rights set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws, any agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
We maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage (1) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to us with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.
We have purchased and intend to maintain insurance on behalf of the registrant and any person who is or was a director or officer against any loss arising from any claim asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in that capacity, subject to certain exclusions and limits of the amount of coverage.
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Item 16. Exhibits.
| Exhibit Number | Description of Document | |||||||
| 2.1† | ||||||||
| 2.2 | ||||||||
3.1 | ||||||||
3.2 | ||||||||
| 4.1 | ||||||||
| 4.2 | ||||||||
| 4.3 | ||||||||
| 4.4 | ||||||||
| 5.1* | ||||||||
| 23.1* | ||||||||
| 23.2* | ||||||||
23.3* | ||||||||
| 24.1* | ||||||||
| 107* | ||||||||
__________________
*Filed herewith
†The annexes, schedules, or certain exhibits to this Exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The Registrant hereby agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted annex, schedule or exhibit to the SEC upon request.
Item 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i)To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii)To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
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dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Filing Fee Tables” or “Calculation of Registration Fee” table, as applicable, in the effective registration statement;
(iii)To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.
(2)That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4)That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i)Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii)Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5)That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: (i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; (iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant
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or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and (iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(6)That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on August 7, 2025.
| Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. | |||||
| By: | /s/ Jason Kelly | ||||
| Jason Kelly | |||||
| Chief Executive Officer | |||||
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Jason Kelly and Steven Coen, and each of them acting individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
/s/ Jason Kelly | Chief Executive Officer; Director (Principal Executive Officer) | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Jason Kelly | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Steven Coen | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Steven Coen | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Shyam Sankar | Director, Chair of the Board | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Shyam Sankar | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Ross Fubini | Director | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Ross Fubini | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Christian Henry | Director | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Christian Henry | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Sri Kosuri | Director | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Sri Kosuri | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Reshma Shetty | President, Chief Operating Officer; Director | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Reshma Shetty | ||||||||||||||
/s/ Harry E. Sloan | Director | August 7, 2025 | ||||||||||||
Harry E. Sloan | ||||||||||||||