Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

Daniel Scharff, founder of Startup CPG, joins the Grow Everything podcast to share how he built the world's largest community for emerging consumer brands. With 35,000 members in their Slack channel and over 75 in-person events annually, Startup CPG is democratizing access to retail buyers, investors, and industry resources that would typically cost founders thousands in consulting fees. Daniel discusses the harsh realities of CPG entrepreneurship—including why only 20-25% of brands survive beyond a few years—and shares his playbook for success: prioritize great branding and taste over health claims, build scrappy and resourceful, and delay fundraising until you can command a meaningful valuation. He reveals patterns he's observed across thousands of brands, from the danger of copycat products in oversaturated categories (looking at you, chili crisps and prebiotic sodas) to the power of in-person connections for discovering innovation. Daniel also explains why Startup CPG operates on a "do good, do well" model, offering free resources to brands while building a sustainable business through sponsorships and events—and why he believes this approach could transform other industries beyond CPG.
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) - Fancy Weekends, Le Bernardin, and the Met
(00:03:00) - Drops of God Season 2 and Art at the Met
(00:06:00) - Automatic Noodle Book Discussion
(00:09:00) - Claude Bot and AI Tools for Content Creation
(00:13:00) - Introducing Daniel Scharff and Startup CPG
(00:16:00) - Daniel's Journey from Mars to Just Egg to Startup CPG
(00:21:00) - Building the World's Largest CPG Community
(00:27:00) - Patterns of Success and Failure in CPG Brands
(00:33:00) - What Makes Products Stand Out: Innovation vs. Copycats
(00:38:00) - The Role of Biology and Health Claims in CPG
(00:42:00) - Why In-Person Events Still Matter in a Digital World
(00:50:00) - The Startup CPG Podcast and Media Platform
(00:54:00) - Fundraising Strategies: When to Raise and How Much
(01:00:00) - Quick Fire Questions with Daniel
(01:03:00) - Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up
Links and Resources:
Startup CPG
Startup CPG Formulator Directory
Startup CPG Resources
Noguchi’s Waterstone at the MET
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
166. The Great Reformulation: Joshua Lachter Rethinks How We Make Everything at Scale
165. Biology Behind the Brands: Inside P&G’s Two-Century Story
164. From Plasmids to Pallets: How Erin Marasco Scales Biology at Cargill
Topics Covered: 
CPG, consumer packaged goods, startups, community, Startup CPG, innovation
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553
Instagram  / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube / Grow Everything
Music by: Nihilore 
Production by:  Amplafy Media

Joshua Lachter, co-founder of Synonym, joins us for an in-depth conversation about the future of biomanufacturing and what he calls "the great reformulation." We explore how biology is poised to replace petrochemicals across industries, the infrastructure challenges holding back commercial scale production, and why standardization is critical for mass adoption. Joshua shares insights from Synonym's work building commercial biomanufacturing facilities, including their groundbreaking project in Decatur, Illinois. From GLP-1s to microplastics, we discuss how bio-based products can deliver superior performance while addressing health and environmental concerns. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the commercialization of industrial biotech, the economics of biomanufacturing, and the path toward a reformulated supply chain built on biology.
(00:00:00) - Snowstorm updates from NYC
(00:03:00) - Tech Meets Pharma: The Data Revolution
(00:09:00) - Mr. Beast, Upside Foods, and Colossal Biosciences
(00:14:00) - Joshua's Background and Why He Founded Synonym
(00:18:00) - Financialization and Standardization of Biomanufacturing
(00:25:00) - Early Assumptions That Turned Out Wrong
(00:38:00) - The Great Reformulation: Biology vs. Petrochemicals
(00:48:00) - GLP-1s and Nature-Inspired Innovation
(00:54:00) - Better with Bio: Synonym's Partnership with Brentag
(00:59:00) - Quickfire Questions
(01:03:00) - Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts
Episode Links:
Synonym

BetterWith.Bio

The Great Reformulation 

Primient and Synonym Forge Strategic Partnership to Propel U.S. Bioproduct Innovation

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Snowstorm Prep Video

Mr. Beast video: $1 vs $1,000,000,000 Futuristic Tech!

Edward Shenderovich ep

Amy Trejo and JC Garcia Garcia ep

Suveen K18 ep 

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

Topics Covered: 
biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, industrial biotech, Great Reformulation, consumer packaged goods, CPG, biotech R&D, chemical engineering, bioengineering, AI in biomanufacturing
Have a question or comment? Message us here:
Text or Call (804) 505-5553

Instagram  / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube / Grow Everything

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