The Company	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
The Company	THE COMPANY Nature of Business—Solazyme, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of Delaware on March 31, 2003. The Company creates food, nutrition and specialty ingredients from algae. Moving forward, the Company will be known as TerraVia™. The Company’s proprietary technology uses microalgae to produce high-value triglyceride oils, proteins, fibers, micronutrients and other ingredients. The Company has developed and is commercializing products for food and nutrition ingredients, animal nutrition ingredients and specialty personal care applications and its sustainable products can replace or enhance products derived from the world’s three existing oil sources: petroleum, plants and animal fats. The Company's technology platform harnesses the oil, protein and polysaccharide-producing characteristics of microalgae and the Company is able to tailor the composition of its oils, powders and other bioproducts to address specific customer requirements. The Company uses standard fermentation equipment to convert sugars into the desired end product. By feeding plant-based sugars to the Company’s proprietary microalgae in enclosed fermentation tanks, the Company is in effect utilizing “indirect photosynthesis.” The Company is involved in a highly competitive industry that is characterized by the risks of changing technologies, market conditions and regulatory requirements. Penetration into markets requires investment of considerable resources and continuous development efforts. The Company’s future success depends upon several factors, including the technological quality, price, and performance of its products and services relative to those of its competitors, scaling up of production for commercial sale, ability to secure adequate project financing at appropriate terms, and the nature of regulation in its target markets. Liquidity—The Company has incurred substantial net losses since its inception; the Company incurred net losses of $141.4 million, $162.1 million and $116.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Accumulated deficit was $609.9 million as of December 31, 2015. Net cash used in operating activities was $85.1 million, $118.1 million and $74.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities available for sale were $98.0 million as of December 31, 2015. The Company is an emerging growth company with a limited operating history. The Company only recently began commercializing its products. To date, a substantial portion of revenues has consisted of funding from third party collaborative research agreements and government grants. The Company has generated limited revenues from commercial sales, principally derived from sales of personal care products. A significant portion of future revenues are expected to come from commercial sales in the food and nutrition ingredients and specialty personal care products. Net losses may continue as the Company ramps up manufacturing capacity and builds out its product pipeline. The Company expects to incur additional costs and expenses related to the continued development and expansion of its business, including research and development, the operation of its commercial production facility in Peoria, Illinois ("Peoria Facility"), the ramp up and operation of the commercial production facility in Brazil ("Solazyme Bunge JV") through its joint venture with Bunge Global Innovation, LLC (together with its affiliates, "Bunge") and other commercial facilities. The Company, along with its development and commercialization partners, needs to develop products successfully, cost effectively produce them in large quantities and market and sell such products profitably. The Company’s failure to generate sufficient revenues, achieve planned gross margins, control operating costs or raise sufficient additional funds may require it to modify, delay or abandon its planned operations, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, operating results, financial condition and ability to achieve intended business objectives. The Company may be required to seek additional funds through collaborations, public or private debt or equity financings or government programs, and may also seek to reduce expenses related to the Company’s operations. There can be no assurance that any financing will be available or on acceptable terms. Based on current cash utilization, management believes that its cash and cash flows from operations will be sufficient to fund operations through March 31, 2017.

THE COMPANY

Nature of Business—Solazyme, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of Delaware on March 31, 2003. The Company creates food, nutrition and specialty ingredients from algae. Moving forward, the Company will be known as TerraVia™.

The Company’s proprietary technology uses microalgae to produce high-value triglyceride oils, proteins, fibers, micronutrients and other ingredients. The Company has developed and is commercializing products for food and nutrition ingredients, animal nutrition ingredients and specialty personal care applications and its sustainable products can replace or enhance products derived from the world’s three existing oil sources: petroleum, plants and animal fats. The Company's technology platform harnesses the oil, protein and polysaccharide-producing characteristics of microalgae and the Company is able to tailor the composition of its oils, powders and other bioproducts to address specific customer requirements. The Company uses standard fermentation equipment to convert sugars into the desired end product. By feeding plant-based sugars to the Company’s proprietary microalgae in enclosed fermentation tanks, the Company is in effect utilizing “indirect photosynthesis.”

The Company is involved in a highly competitive industry that is characterized by the risks of changing technologies, market conditions and regulatory requirements. Penetration into markets requires investment of considerable resources and continuous development efforts. The Company’s future success depends upon several factors, including the technological quality, price, and performance of its products and services relative to those of its competitors, scaling up of production for commercial sale, ability to secure adequate project financing at appropriate terms, and the nature of regulation in its target markets.

Liquidity—The Company has incurred substantial net losses since its inception; the Company incurred net losses of $141.4 million, $162.1 million and $116.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Accumulated deficit was $609.9 million as of December 31, 2015. Net cash used in operating activities was $85.1 million, $118.1 million and $74.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities available for sale were $98.0 million as of December 31, 2015.

The Company is an emerging growth company with a limited operating history. The Company only recently began commercializing its products. To date, a substantial portion of revenues has consisted of funding from third party collaborative research agreements and government grants. The Company has generated limited revenues from commercial sales, principally derived from sales of personal care products. A significant portion of future revenues are expected to come from commercial sales in the food and nutrition ingredients and specialty personal care products.

Net losses may continue as the Company ramps up manufacturing capacity and builds out its product pipeline. The Company expects to incur additional costs and expenses related to the continued development and expansion of its business, including research and development, the operation of its commercial production facility in Peoria, Illinois ("Peoria Facility"), the ramp up and operation of the commercial production facility in Brazil ("Solazyme Bunge JV") through its joint venture with Bunge Global Innovation, LLC (together with its affiliates, "Bunge") and other commercial facilities.

The Company, along with its development and commercialization partners, needs to develop products successfully, cost effectively produce them in large quantities and market and sell such products profitably. The Company’s failure to generate sufficient revenues, achieve planned gross margins, control operating costs or raise sufficient additional funds may require it to modify, delay or abandon its planned operations, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, operating results, financial condition and ability to achieve intended business objectives. The Company may be required to seek additional funds through collaborations, public or private debt or equity financings or government programs, and may also seek to reduce expenses related to the Company’s operations. There can be no assurance that any financing will be available or on acceptable terms.

Based on current cash utilization, management believes that its cash and cash flows from operations will be sufficient to fund operations through March 31, 2017.