Through a pioneering process of microbial fermentation, David Henstrom and Unibio are harnessing the power of nature's alchemists - microbes - to produce protein. No land needed, their breakthrough technology utilizes methane in a novel "gas-liquid brewing" approach.   But scaling challenges loom large. Hear how David overcame the valley of death after 27 years as a biotech intrapreneur. Discover his journey of commercializing this planet-friendly nutrition source through global partnerships.   Learn how Unibio plans to transform the future of food production through its boundless mi ..read more

Marc Washington, a health entrepreneur, was inspired by his sister's tragic passing to help others live healthier. Now, his startup Supergut is riding the wave of interest in appetite control to promote natural solutions. You'll discover how Supergut has evolved its vision from gut health to leveraging the "Ozempic conversation". Learn how the founder reinvented operations to break even after a difficult period. Find out their plans to raise capital and expand distribution nationwide. Gain insights into iterating a company's focus and products for increased accessibility. Get a behind-the-scen ..read more

Our guest today is Scott May, the Head of MISTA, a unique innovation platform bringing food companies and the startup ecosystem together. Scott has seen the challenges in our food system up close and is on a mission to transform how we eat and farm. After discovering his passion for food science, he has dedicated his career to innovating sustainable solutions as a food tech pioneer. Hear Scott's inspiring journey - from his early days in university to founding innovation hub MISTA. Discover the model he's developed to help startups and big companies collaborate on tackling issues like health ..read more

Cambrium CEO Mitchell Duffy is on a mission to reduce our dependence on petrochemicals and animal-derived products through the power of biology. In this episode, Mitchell discusses his journey from PhD researcher to entrepreneur, and his vision to create sustainable innovation by creating biobased  high performance molecules  Learn how Cambrium produces sustainable vegan collagen at scale to replace animal byproducts. Also, discover their plans to design revolutionary new biomaterials that outperform existing chemicals. For anyone interested in the potential of biotech and synthetic ..read more

In this episode, we have an interesting conversation with Johan Cardoen, a Biotech executive who started his career in 1988, with Plant Genetic Systems which was the first biotech company in Belgium. Since then, he played a very important role in the growth and the evolution of the Belgium biotech ecosystem. Johan Cardoen shares how he grew Crop Design into an acquisition target through strategic deal-making. Tune in to hear how he led a young startup through an acquisition process in just 10 weeks after creating multiple exit options. Get insider tips for navigating challenges in sustainable ..read more

Today, I sit down with the one and only Henrietta Moon, CEO and Co-founder of Carbo Culture, a climate technology company pioneering for scalable biochar carbon removal solution. Henrietta’s passion for the environment was ignited during her time as a scout and sailing trips, witnessing the deterioration of natural environments. Originally on track for international relations, she found herself drawn to entrepreneurship, co-founding Carbo Culture after participating in NASA's Singularity University program. With a team of passionate individuals, Carbo Culture fosters a culture of trust, inde ..read more

Summary: In this episode of Leaders on a Mission, CEO Shely Aronov discusses how her company InnerPlant is revolutionizing agriculture through real-time plant stress detection. By giving crops a way to optically signal when under attack from fungi and other threats, Inner Plant is transforming farming from an industry of guesses into one powered by data. Tune in to hear how their technology means farmers can pinpoint problems within days instead of weeks, helping boost yields and reduce waste. Shely also shares her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges of scaling an AgTech startup while m ..read more

Ever wonder what happens to all the leftover corncobs and wheat stalks after harvest? For most farms, it's waste. But for The Supplant Company, it's the key ingredient in a revolution. Founded by scientist Tom Simmons, this food tech startup is developing sustainable sugar replacements from agricultural byproducts. Hear how their unique process creates healthier ingredients that mimic sugar's texture while slashing calories. Discover the challenges of scaling up production and partnering with major brands to cut sugar in everything from muffins to cookies. Get an inside look at their journey ..read more

 In this episode, AgroSpheres CEO Payam Pourtaheri discusses how he tackled pesticide issues using RNA technology for crop protection. He shares challenges, including target specificity and scale-up. Payam learned to voice disagreements and focused on encapsulation for potent biomolecules, differentiating from microbial approaches. Transitioning from a student project to a startup, Payam stresses the importance of funding, technology validation, and building credibility. He highlights the difficulty of gaining trust from major AgTech players, emphasizing it's tougher than securing venture ..read more

From a KTH student to a visionary in green technology, Karim is changing the game to revolutionize eco-friendly chemical engineering for mass production.  In this episode, Karim Englemark Cassimjee, CEO and co-founder of EnginZyme. A Swedish startup with the vision to make the chemical industry green by unlocking the potential in enzymes. Karim opens up about the growing opportunities in the biotech sector, juxtaposed with the fundraising difficulties that companies often face. Karim provides a glimpse into EnginZyme's groundbreaking technology, centered around self-biomanufacturing using ..read more