We are on a mission to expand supply & demand for macroalgae-based solutions

I am a seasoned entrepreneur with a proven track record building technology companies. I’ve scaled two successful businesses from 3 employees to over 300. Most recently, I helped to form and launch Ripple Inc, one of the largest blockchain companies globally. Prior to Ripple, I was the first employee at Jumio, Inc., an Andreessen Horowitz-backed business, selling online identity software solutions. My core business expertise centers around sales, partnerships, acquisitions, operations, and fundraising. I’ve raised over $100M in early stage financing from some of the highest performing VC funds in Silicon Valley.  After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I started my career at a technology and media investment fund before working in the business development group at Universal Music Group, where I co-designed the first streaming media deals.  My next career chapter is dedicated to alleviating the impact of climate change through the proliferation of biomass in global supply chains.

Outside of work, I am probably first and foremost a fanatical surfer, frothing for waves at all times. Otherwise you can find me on two wheels, usually on a road bike.

From my early childhood on a farm in France, my journey in the agri-food sector has spanned over 35 years. Throughout my career, I’ve held global leadership roles in R&D, Product Development, Quality and Operations with mutinational companies such as Nestlé and Cargill, across all continents. I was based in the USA, Belgium, France and 5 years ago founded my own consulting company. I hold patents and publications in proteins, fermentation, structured fats and emulsions.  

I hold a Ph.D. and postdoctoral degree in Food Science & Technology from the Ohio State University, as well as an Ingénieur degree from France.  

My passion lies in driving meaningful impact within the emerging bioeconomy through strategic product development, innovation and operational leadership.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and being outdoors, particularly walking, biking and gardening.  

Spencer Serin is a seaweed chemicals and regulatory compliance expert. He completed his PhD in chemistry in 2016 and has developed seaweed products and market research for 7 years covering a range of applications - food, agriculture (animal feed and plant biostimulants), and chemical extracts. In 2021, he co-founded Spoitz Enterprises which has provided scientific consulting services to a range of industry and government clients across North America. His primary work area is seaweed chemical extraction, characterization, and regulatory compliance.

I have 20 years of experience executing go-to-market initiatives and strategies in ingredient biotech start-ups (Solazyme, Evolva, Sweegen) and established corporations (Cargill). During my career I have launched a wide variety of new-to-the-world products and technologies in oils, nutraceuticals, sweeteners, flavors, fragrances, personal care and protection. My commercial expertise spans marketing, sales, product management; partnerships between start-up ventures and large companies; sustainability, carbon footprint and life cycle assessment; and execution of government funded development projects. I received my MBA from Harvard Business School and BA from University of Virginia.

I live near San Francisco where I love to spend time outdoors and with my family.

Dr. Fraser Pick is the Vice President of Research and Development for Marine Biologics, a biomaterials business that develops products from macroalgae. Dr. Pick leads the strategic upstream development of seaweed supply, processing, and stabilization, working with the commercialization team to ensure sustainable product development.

Prior to joining Marine Biologics, Dr. Pick was the Co-Founder and Chief Operational Officer at Spoitz Inc., a technology and product development consultancy focused on agriculture, supply chains, and process management.

Dr. Pick has a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of British Columbia and completed postdoctoral studies in Whisky Maturation at the University of Windsor.

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Ryan Hunt is a scientist, entrepreneur and engineer focused on commercializing algae as a renewable resource in consumer products. Over the past 20 years, Ryan has conducted research, development, scale up, and commercialization of algae-based materials for consumer products such as footwear, accessories, and sporting good products. Ryan has co-founded 5 companies and has helped bring hundreds of algae-infused consumer products to market over the past 10 years in collaboration with global brand leaders such as adidas, Yeezy, Dr Scholls, Merrell, Black Diamond Equipment, and Firewire Surfing and over 100 other brands. Ryan led the design, capitalization and operational scale up of lean manufacturing factories for producing BLOOM foam and converting it into finished goods for in-house brand BLKSWN ("Black Swan") Footwear. Ryan holds a deep passion and enthusiasm for creating value from aquatic feedstocks for consumer product companies to help improve their sustainable metrics, circular designs and deliver new value creation from novel biomaterials.

With over 20 years of experience in food R&D and hospitality, Anisha is inspired to bridge the gap between human emotion and emerging food technology through innovative product design. She dreams big by systems thinking to catalyze change. She ispassionate about the intersection of entrepreneurship, prototype development, and immersive sensory experience to transform the way we eat. Reach out to build together!

Ismael is passionate about driving sustainable innovation through science and technology. As a co-founder of Black Sheep Foods Inc., he played a key role in creating and patenting the world’s first vegan lamb flavor profile using data-driven insights. Afterward, he served as Program Manager at UC Berkeley’s Alt-Meat Lab, where he contributed to agricultural research initiatives and guided students in developing sustainable technology startups.

Outside of work, Ismael can often be found rock climbing, hiking, running, or pursuing other activities that immerse him in the outdoors.

Driven by a commitment to sustainability and innovation, Chet Russell builds data-driven solutions that bridge machine learning and environmental impact. With hands-on experience in predictive modeling, geospatial analysis, and data engineering, he has contributed to research and industry projects in marine biology and aquaculture. His background in computer science and passion for clean technology guide his work across cloud platforms and ML systems.

I am a French phycologist working on the metabolomic composition and the ecophysiology of seaweed. More particularly, I am focusing on the optimisation of the macroalgal biomass in a valorisation perspective. I pay particular attention to the preservation of macroalgal biomass, using sustainable and environmentally-friendly extraction protocols, and taking into consideration the potential impacts of global change. Before to join Marine Biologics, I did a master’s degree in Biotechnological valorisation of marine resources at the University of Western Brittany (France), followed by a PhD intitled « Ecological and metabolomic responses to environmental constraints of brown and red macroalgae from the intertidal zone” at the Laboratory of Environmental Sciences (LEMAR, Brest, France). I also worked at the University of Galway (Ireland) for 3 years, where I carried out cultivation experiments to assess the seasonal effects of increasing temperature on the composition and the productivity of Irish macroalgae, in the context of a macroalgal biorefinery project.

Danni is an experienced project manager who is motivated by connecting people and building impactful teams. Most recently she worked at a digital agency leading an Agile team to success building digital projects. Before that Danni led a university-based program to get more women and girls into STEM fields. Over the past decade she has lent her professional skills to her community by serving on a variety of non-profit boards. Danni has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Environmental Science and is passionate about sustainable technologies. Outside of work, Danni enjoys hiking, oat lattes, and playing video games.