Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

Karl and Erum sit down with Amy Trejo and Jose Carlos Garcia Garcia from Procter & Gamble to uncover how one of the world's largest consumer goods companies is leveraging biotechnology to innovate at unprecedented scale. Founded 189 years ago as a bio-waste upcycling partnership between a candle maker and a soap maker, P&G has always been rooted in biomaterials innovation—from pioneering laundry enzymes in the 1960s to developing cold water enzyme technologies that have saved billions in energy costs. Amy and JC reveal what makes biotech innovations stick in the marketplace (hint: it's all about performance), share candid advice for startups hoping to partner with P&G, and explain why the company views biotech as a critical enabler of both sustainability and superior consumer experiences. They discuss common misconceptions about working with large CPG companies, the importance of reducing ideas to practice, and how P&G's connect-and-develop model creates win-win partnerships that can impact billions of consumers worldwide. Whether you're a biotech founder, investor, or enthusiast curious about how innovative materials make it from lab to everyday products, this conversation offers rare insights into the intersection of consumer goods, biotechnology, and global scale manufacturing.
Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - Introduction and Opening Remarks
(00:01:00) - Erum's Article on Industrial Biomanufacturing for Lichen Ventures
(00:04:00) - The Vision of Boom Towns and Interplanetary Innovation
(00:07:00) - Introduction to Amy Trejo and JC Garcia Garcia from P&G
(00:11:00) - Amy and JC's Backgrounds and Roles at P&G
(00:13:00) - Biotech Innovations Throughout P&G's 189-Year History
(00:19:00) - What Makes Biotech Innovations Stick: Performance Over Everything
(00:22:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Partnering with Large CPG Companies
(00:29:00) - How to Approach P&G: Show Product, Generate Data, Demonstrate Performance
(00:31:00) - The Power of Reapplication Across Product Categories
(00:35:00) - Successful Biotech Partnerships: SK-II, Align, New Chapter, Base Camp Research
(00:39:00) - What Catches P&G's Attention at Conferences and Trade Shows
(00:42:00) - The Role of Storytelling in Biotech Innovation and Consumer Engagement
(00:47:00) - Five-Year Vision: The Future of CPG and Biotech Partnerships
(00:49:00) - One Piece of Advice for Biotech Innovators: Reduce Ideas to Practice
(00:52:00) - Quickfire Questions with Amy and JC
(00:53:00) - Closing Thoughts: Impacting Billions of Lives Through Partnership
(00:54:00) - Karl and Erum's Recap and Key Takeaways
Links and Resources:
Procter & Gamble (P&G)
P&G Connect + Develop
P&G Partnerships
Stellar: A World Beyond Limits and How To Get There
Industrial Biomanufacturing Needs Its Manhattan Project Moment by Erum Azeez Khan
107. Glow Big or Go Home: Andy Bass's Journey with Glowing Oceans
17. Beauty and the Biome with Jasmina Aganovic of Arcaea
Topics Covered: 
biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineering
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553 
Music by: Nihilore 
Production by:  Amplafy Media

We kick off our CPG series with Dr. Erin Marasco, Senior Director of Global Biology at Cargill, who leads innovation in ingredient discovery, strain development, and biotech applications. Erin takes us on a fascinating journey from the fundamentals of fermentation to the complexities of scaling biotech products from lab bench to global supply chains. We explore Cargill's 30-year history in biomanufacturing, discuss why terms like "precision fermentation" might be doing more harm than good, and learn what it really takes for startups to partner with multinational companies. Erin shares insights on feedstock diversity across continents, the future of nutritional bioactives in everyday foods, and why success in biotech means moving from "novel" to "preferred." This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in how biology is quietly transforming every aisle of the grocery store.
Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - Introduction & New Year Kickoff — Welcome to 2026 and the start of our CPG series!
(00:01:00) - JP Morgan Conference & South Africa Travel
(00:05:00) - New Food Pyramid Controversy
(00:10:00) - Introducing Erin Marasco & Cargill's Role in Biotech
(00:17:00) - Where Biotech Creates Real Leverage at Cargill
(00:21:00) - Demystifying Fermentation: Why Now?
(00:26:00) - How Cargill Partners with Startups
(00:30:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Working with Big Companies
(00:33:00) - What Product Readiness Means to Cargill
(00:38:00) - Plasmids to Pallets: Successful Partnership Examples
(00:47:00) - Feedstock Diversity Across Continents
(00:53:00) - The Future: Nutrition as Everyday Food
(00:58:00) - Quick Fire Questions & Retiring "Precision Fermentation"
(01:03:00) - Wrap-Up & What's Next in the CPG Series
Links and Resources:
Cargill
Cargill Fermentation Blog
Fermentation: nature's original biotech by Cargill
Cantabria Labs (sunscreen from plant extracts)
Viro - Sugarcane Straws
Sawubona Mycelium 
Heliocare Cantabria Labs
 Andreesen Horowitz, VC fund, raised a $15 billion 
Topics Covered: 
biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineering
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553 
Music by: Nihilore 
Production by:  Amplafy Media

Karl and Erum kick off 2026 by reviewing their 2025 forecasts—celebrating the wins (DeSci's rise, waste as a resource, AI-biology convergence) and acknowledging the misses (no biotech M&A boom, no quantum biology breakthrough yet). Then they unveil their boldest predictions for the year ahead: the first functional AI-composed genome entering production, a major non-sterile biomanufacturing facility breaking ground, biological arbitrage creating competitive advantages against tariffs, consumer-held health records surpassing traditional medical data in clinical significance, space-manufactured drug crystals entering human trials, definitive proof of alien life, and AI-enabled communication with whales and other animals. They also welcome Lizette Couto, who joins the podcast to provide science definitions and explanations throughout episodes going forward. From dirty biology manifestos to peptide proliferation to interspecies communication, this episode maps the frontiers where synthetic biology, AI, space technology, and consumer adoption collide. 
Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - 🎙️ Welcome to 2026: The Year Biology Gets Real

(00:01:00) - Introducing Lizette Couto: Science Definitions and Podcast Updates

(00:03:00) - 2025 Predictions Review: Using AI to Analyze Episodes

(00:04:00) - What We Got Wrong: H5N1, Quantum Biology, and M&A Activity

(00:10:00) - What We Got Right: DeSci's Rise and the BIO Token

(00:12:00) - Waste as a High Value Resource: Agricultural to Urban Applications

(00:14:00) - Onshoring and Government Funding: A Crushing Year for Science

(00:18:00) - AI and Biology Convergence: From Reading to Composing Genomes

(00:20:00) - Microbiome and Longevity in Mainstream Culture

(00:23:00) - 2026 Prediction #1: The First AI-Composed Genome Goes Into Production

(00:26:00) - 2026 Prediction #2: Major Non-Sterile "Dirty Biology" Manufacturing Facility

(00:30:00) - 2026 Prediction #3: Biological Arbitrage Creates 15-20% Margin Advantage

(00:34:00) - 2026 Prediction #4: Consumer Health Records Become More Significant Than Medical Records

(00:36:00) - 2026 Prediction #5: Consumer Biotech Gains on Industrial Biotech (The Bathroom Shelf Wins)

(00:41:00) - 2026 Prediction #6: Space-Manufactured Drug Crystals Enter Human Clinical Trials

(00:44:00) - 2026 Prediction #7: We'll See Proof of Alien Life

(00:48:00) - 2026 Prediction #8: AI Enables Clear Communication with Whales and Other Animals

(00:51:00) - Closing Thoughts and Upcoming CPG Series Preview

Links and Resources:
H5N1 bird flu
Novo Nordisk Quantum Computing Program
145. Decentralized Science 101: Defining DeSci with the Experts
146. Pump It Up: Benji Leibowitz on DAO-ing Science Differently
bio.xyz
HairDAO
Mango Materials
123. From Gas to Glam: Molly Morse Discusses Mango Materials' Biodegradable Innovations
Industrial Microbes
113. Microbe Mission Possible: Noah Helman Discusses iMicrobes' Quest to Turn Waste into Wealth
Symmetry Wood
154. No Trees Were Harmed: Symmetry Wood's Gabe Tavas on Growing Wood from Waste
NIH and NSF alarming funding cuts
OneSkin
EVO 2
122. Ecohacking the Planet: Daniel Goodwin of Homeworld Collective Brews Up Planetary-Scale Solutions
The Future of Science: Modernizing the U.S. Scientific Enterprise
152. Crystals in the Cosmos: Varda Rewrites Drug Formulation in Microgravity
Topics Covered: 
biotech, industry, predictions, biomanufacturing, consumer biotech
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553 
Music by: Nihilore 
Production by:  Amplafy Media

Karl and Erum kick off 2026 with deep reflections on prosperity, consciousness, and the idea that we might be living in a simulation. But the real focus is on a concept that could make or break biotech companies: orchestration. They dive into why most biotech innovations outside of pharma struggle to commercialize and introduce the idea of value chain syndication—bringing together innovators, manufacturers, investors, and big incumbents to create entire ecosystems rather than just individual deals. Using examples like K18 Hair's marketing orchestration and the urgent need to replace Red Dye 40, they break down how founders can architect strategic "seed deals" that build toward transformative industry shifts. This isn't about traditional sales or business development—it's about becoming the center of an ecosystem that includes everyone from ingredient suppliers to end customers. With tailwinds from geopolitical changes, supply chain concerns, and increasing demand for bio-based solutions, the time for orchestration is now. Whether you're a founder trying to scale or a big company looking to innovate, this episode shows you how to think bigger than your own company and build the infrastructure for a bio-based future.
Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?
Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - Welcome and New Year reflections from California and Cape Town
(00:01:00) - Prosperity, money circulation, and building a better society
(00:04:23) - Consciousness, simulation theory, and the philosophy of everything
(00:09:00) - Why we're replaying the orchestration episode
(00:10:00) - What is orchestration and why it's not just sales or business development
(00:15:00) - Why biotech companies struggle to commercialize outside pharma
(00:18:00) - Value chain syndication and manufacturing orchestration explained
(00:20:00) - Seed deals: How to start small and build toward the big picture
(00:22:00) - The Red Dye 40 case study: Architecting an ecosystem for change
(00:27:00) - Why founders need to think differently and become deal architects
(00:31:00) - Why now? Geopolitical and economic tailwinds for biomanufacturing
(00:34:00) - Risks, rewards, and the 5-10 year arc of ecosystem building
(00:37:00) - Final reflections and how to get started with orchestration
Links and Resources:
Messaginglab
National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology's Report: Charting the Future of Biotechnology
Red Dye ban
153. Ghosts of Biotech Past: Veronica Breckenridge’s Playbook for Smarter Scaling
149. Beyond Capital: Phil Morle of Main Sequence Ventures on Collaboration as the New Competitive Edge
120. Busting Biotech's Bottlenecks: Veronica Breckenridge on the Path to Industrial Scale
26. Breaking Bad Hair Habits with Biology: Suveen Sahib's K18 Rescues Your Strands
Star Talk Neil deGrasse Tyson
Topics Covered: 
biotech, CPG, business models, industry, bacterial cellulose, fermentation
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553 
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Email: [email protected]
Music by: Nihilore
Production by: Amplafy Media

In this special holiday replay episode, we revisit our conversation with Ashley Beckwith, founder of Foray Biosciences, who shares her groundbreaking work in plant cell culture and tissue engineering. Growing up in Colorado, Ashley watched forests disappear to housing development and wildfire—experiences that sparked her lifelong mission to reimagine how we produce plant materials. After training as an engineer and working in medical device development, she pivoted to apply tissue engineering concepts to plants, initially exploring lab-grown wood before discovering a more fundamental problem: the lack of accessible, efficient plant cell culture processes. Today, Foray develops fabricated seeds for forest restoration, creates harvest-free plant products, and builds AI-powered tools to accelerate plant science R&D. Ashley explains why plant cells are the fundamental building blocks for everything from molecules to materials to entire ecosystems, and how her company is working to solve the seed shortage crisis that prevents us from restoring 94% of post-wildfire sites. She also discusses the potential for de-extinction of recently lost plant species in California and the importance of creating regenerative rather than extractive relationships with plant systems. This conversation explores the intersection of synthetic biology, forestry, and biomanufacturing while reminding us that we are all, whether we know it or not, plant people.
Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?
Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - Holiday Greetings and Stranger Things on Broadway
(00:04:41) - Introducing Ashley Beckwith and Foray Biosciences
(00:07:17) - Growing Up in Colorado: Watching Forests Disappear
(00:10:48) - From Medical Engineering to Plant Biology
(00:15:00) - The Lab-Grown Wood Experiment
(00:18:58) - Understanding Plant Cells as Versatile Production Agents
(00:25:00) - Fabricated Seeds for California Biodiversity Restoration
(00:33:00) - Addressing the Wildfire Restoration Seed Shortage
(00:42:00) - Building the Plant Operating System with AI
(00:50:00) - Why We're All Plant People
Links and Resources:
Foray Biosciences⁠
⁠SF500 (Argentinian Global Venture Fund)⁠
⁠Syensqo Corporate Venture Fund⁠
⁠H.C. Wainwright⁠
⁠University of Vermont - Dr. Steve Keller⁠
⁠University of Maryland - Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick
Foray Biosciences
154. No Trees Were Harmed: Symmetry Wood's Gabe Tavas on Growing Wood from Waste
Topics Covered: 
developmental biology, morphology, morphospace, planarians, electroceuticals, bioelectricity, tissue regeneration, biomedical applications, holidays, Christmas
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553 
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Email: [email protected]
Music by: Nihilore
Production by: Amplafy Media