Waste is the New Gold: How Polybion Grows Luxury Biomaterials Part 2
In this episode of Grow Everything, Alexis discusses the challenges and benefits of scaling a biotech product in the leather industry. He shares how his company, Polybion, has strong partnerships with leather manufacturers that enable them to rapidly prototype new products. Alexis also talks about their facility in Ensenada, which is powered by solar energy and recycles water for use in growing batches of their biotech product. He explains that this product is not meant to replace traditional animal leather, but rather offers similar performance for up to 70% of the market. Additionally, Alexis discusses the possibility of hiring employees from abroad and working remotely, as well as the potential for using synthetic biology to create biomaterials and materials for use in space or on other planets.
Click here to read the episode transcript.
Topics Covered
00:00:00 Focus On Scale And Yield: The Brothers' Visionary Approach to Biotech Production
00:04:14 Growing Up Entrepreneurs: A Family's Experience in the Biotech Industry
00:07:50 Investor Pushes For Leather Application With Microbial Technology
00:13:08 Exploring The 200-year-old Leather Tradition In Leon, Mexico and Its Potential for Biotech Advancements
00:18:47 Exploring Remote Hiring And Working In San Miguel for Biotech Companies
00:25:25 Creating A New Textile: Comparing Performance Of Animal Leather And Biotech Leather Alternatives
00:27:38 Exploring Synthetic Biology For Materials And BioMaterials Production 00:33:13 Leather Industry Worries Over Potential Shift towards Biotech Leather
00:35:14 Leather Industry's Resistance To Change and Adoption of Biotech Materials
00:40:14 The Beauty Of Local Organic Waste: Crafting Leather From Microbes Using Sustainable Practices
00:42:35 Material Used For Liquid Leggings and Its Potential for Biotech Production
