Biomaterials

This episode features an interview with Chad Frischmann, CEO of ReGenIntel (shorthand for regenerative intelligence), a new initiative by the team that created Project Drawdown.

Featuring a conversation with Luna Yu, CEO of Genecis, and Phoebe Wang, an investment partner and head of the Female Founder Initiative at Amazon.

Synthetic biotechnology is projected to surpass $61 billion in revenue by 2030, driven by companies interested in shifting sourcing strategies away from petrochemicals or practices harmful for biodiversity.

A new $120m venture with Genomatica aims to scale up biotechnology alternative to palm oil and fossil fuels used to make everyday products.

Innovators in the space have seen more than $1.29 billion in investments since 2015.

The same biotechnological improvements that are contributing to the rapid growth in alternative food proteins are also opening new possibilities for textiles and materials.

The company’s proposed manufacturing process uses biological buildings blocks, rather than petroleum-based chemicals. But so far, that’s still an aspiration.

Products such as electronic displays made from fish scales to sanitary products made from banana fibers have made headlines. What opportunities do bio-based materials afford?

The material itself is not the crux of the problem.

“Hempcrete,” made from the woody core of hemp, is showing promise as an environmentally friendly building material.