Abstract Aims To identify the promising oleaginous Aspergillus oryzae strain and leverage its lipid and biomass production through a mathematical model. Methods and results Comparative profiling of the cell growth and total fatty acid (TFA) content among 13 strains of A. oryzae was performed to explore the discrimination in their lipid productions. The oleaginicity of A. oryzae was found to be strain dependent, where the fungal strain BCC7051 exhibited superior performance in producing lipid-rich biomass by submerged fermentation. The TFA contents of the strain BCC7051 were comparable when cultivated at a range of pH values (pH 3.5–6.5) and temperatures (24–42°C). The mathematical model was generated, well describing and predicting the fungal growth and lipid phenotypic traits at various temperatures and carbon substrates. Conclusion The A. oryzae strain BCC7051 was a robust cell factory, acquiring economically feasible options for producing valuable lipid-based products.