Stilbene Market Size

Global Stilbene Market size was valued at USD 784.1 million in 2023 and is poised to grow from USD 833.5 million in 2024 to USD 1358.85 million by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2025-2032). 

The stilbene market on a global basis is mainly induced by the ever-growing demand for optical brighteners, especially across the textile, paper, and detergent sectors. Stilbene derivatives are essential in producing these brighteners because of the superior fluorescence ability, which leads to the accentuation of the whiteness and brightness effects. As consumer expectations for cleaner, brighter fabrics and visually appealing paper products grow, manufacturers are compelled to incorporate effective brightening agents. This rising preference for high-quality and aesthetically enhanced goods directly boosts the consumption of stilbene compounds, thereby acting as a strong catalyst for market expansion across various industrial applications.

One of the most important drivers for the stilbene market is the continuous growth of the textile industry worldwide. The rising urbanization, population increase, and fashion trends have fuelled the demand for textiles tremendously. This has contributed to a greater application of chemical agents such as optical brighteners in textile processing, where stilbene is an important component. With textile producers looking to enhance product quality and attractiveness through visual appeal, the demand for stilbene-based additives increases. This value chain driven by industry supports the role of stilbene in the value stream and maintains its market relevance across developed and emerging economies.

How does AI Improve the Efficiency of Chemical Manufacturing Processes?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly affecting the global stilbene market by streamlining the chemical production processes. AI-based tools, like inverse design algorithms, allow for the accurate prediction and optimization of molecular properties, and thus enable high-performance stilbene derivatives development. This creates more efficient optical brighteners utilized in paper and textiles, ultimately driving demand for stilbene. Also, AI improves process control in chemical manufacture, enhancing reaction conditions and yield, and lowering costs and environmental footprint. A case in point is Sunthetics, a company that is leveraging AI to improve electrochemical reactions for green chemical manufacturing, showcasing AI's catalyzing effect on the sector.

In 2024, Sunthetics raised a $4 million seed round to develop its AI-based solutions for sustainable chemical production. The funding is intended to make chemical processes more efficient and environmentally friendly, such as stilbene compound production. By applying AI, Sunthetics hopes to fine-tune reaction conditions, cut waste, and minimize energy consumption, thus improving the sustainability of processes in the chemical industry.

How are Startups Transforming the Stilbene Derivative Production Process?

The global stilbene market is seeing increasing startup involvement, particularly in environmentally friendly chemical production. Startups are emphasizing green synthesis routes, integration of AI, and bio-based solutions over conventional petrochemical processes. Their goals include optimizing yields, reducing environmental footprints, and serving the pharmaceutical, optical, and polymer industries. Through biotechnology, green chemistry, and smart process automation integration, these new entrants are transforming the development, production, and utilization of stilbene derivatives across the world.

Founded in 2016, Solugen is a biotech company headquartered in Texas that's transforming chemical production through bio-enzymatic processes. BioPeroxide™ is its flagship product, a hydrogen peroxide substitute synthesized from plant-derived sugars. It has a lower carbon footprint relative to traditional techniques. Solugen's innovation factor comes from its chemoenzymatic platform integrating biocatalysis with chemical engineering. It enables sustainable manufacture of numerous compounds, such as stilbene derivatives, and thus integrates performance chemistry with eco-friendliness.

Established in the year 2015, Phylagen is a biotechnology company focused on using genomics to analyze chemical compounds, including stilbene derivatives. The startup's star product, Phylagen's microbial sequencing system, enables the tracking of chemical sources back to their origins, including stilbene-derived compounds. The novelty of their innovation is creating a system that charts the chemical footprint of industries, which means that chemical manufacturing becomes more sustainable. By incorporating genomics, they design green production systems, reducing chemical waste.