[2] Solazyme, Inc., was founded on 31 March 2003, with the mission of utilizing microalgae to create a renewable source of energy and transportation fuels.

Founders Jonathan S. Wolfson and Harrison Dillon, who met while attending Emory University, started the company in a garage in Palo Alto.

We wanted to make a difference and create something that had never existed before.”[3] In 2013 Dillon announced his decision to step down from his full-time position as CTO and member of the Board of Directors of Solazyme and shift to a long-term consulting role focused on further developing the breadth of the technology platform and advising on intellectual property strategy.

TerraVia appointed Apu Mody, former President of Mars Food America, as new CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, in August 2016.

Solazyme used a technique to grow microalgae, which allows the production process to be extremely efficient in terms of cost, scale, time, and sustainability.

In contrast to common open pond and photo bioreactor approaches, TerraVia grows microalgae in the dark, inside huge stainless-steel containers.In September 2007, Solazyme received a $2 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, signed a joint development agreement with Chevron through its division Chevron Technology Ventures, began operating in commercially sized standard industrial fermentation equipment (75,000-liter scale), worked with a third party refiner to demonstrate the compatibility of the oil with standard refining equipment, and produced over 400 liters of microalgae-based oils.

In January 2008, Solazyme was featured in Fields of Fuel, which was played at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

In 2009, Solazyme was awarded approximately $22 million from the United States Department of Energy for the construction of an integrated biorefinery project.

[11] Investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs reported in July 2011 that with the commercialization of new oil products, Solazyme stock had become less risky.

In a note to clients, it said Solazyme (Nasdaq: TVIA) stood to boost sales and become more stable now that it had partnered with major agribusinesses like Bunge Limited.

AlgaPrime DHA is a new algae-based specialty feed ingredient designed to reduce the aquaculture industry's dependence on wild fish populations.

AlgaVia and AlgaWise supply algae-based ingredients to food manufacturers, such as South Coast Baking Company, Follow Your Heart, and So Delicious Dairy Free.

The idea of using algae for a skincare line came from Arthur Grossman, the Chief of Genetics at Solazyme and Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution.

[28] In March 2016 the companies signed a multi-year supply agreement, where Unilever has agreed to purchase over $200 million worth of a broad portfolio of renewable algae oils.

Scientists were able to harness the prolific oil-producing capabilities of microalgae to create a first-of-its kind product, microencapsulated oil cells that burst only under sufficient pressure, friction, and shear.

"[31] Solazyme officially changed its name to TerraVia Holdings Inc. in March 2016 with a redefined focus on food, nutrition, and personal care.

TerraVia had the third party organization Thinkstep conduct life cycle analysis on its products in order to assess their environmental impacts in comparison to other oils.