Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

• 155. Bad Hairdo to Good HairDAO: Andrew Verbinnen on Reversing Hairloss Through Decentralization

  We sit down with Andrew Verbinnen, founder of HairDAO, who's revolutionizing how we approach hair loss research and treatment. After experiencing hair loss himself at nineteen, Andrew discovered that androgenetic alopecia - affecting 95% of hair loss cases - receives almost no funding because it's classified as cosmetic rather than a disease. By creating a patient-led biotech organization combining a thriving online community with an in-house high-throughput lab, HairDAO has driven research costs down from $250,000 per study to just $6,000 while accelerating results from two years to one month. Andrew shares how they've developed proprietary treatments available through their telehealth platform Anagen, built a unique human hair follicle organ culture model that's providing unprecedented data on fully intact human tissue, and created a token-based governance system where patients vote on which research to fund. We explore the blurring lines between pharmaceuticals and consumer products, the power of patient empowerment in driving innovation, and why Andrew believes the hair follicle data they're generating could unlock treatments for conditions far beyond hair loss.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) - Andrew's Personal Hair Loss Journey and Introduction to HairDAO(00:01:48) - What is a DAO? Redefining Decentralized Organizations(00:03:53) - Why Hair Loss Gets Almost No Research Funding(00:06:41) - Understanding Androgenetic Alopecia: The Science Behind Hair Loss(00:09:43) - How HairDAO Cut Research Costs from $250K to $6K(00:12:47) - The Human Hair Follicle Organ Culture Model: A Breakthrough Innovation(00:16:47) - Token Governance: How the Community Votes on Research(00:21:48) - Anonymous Discord Researchers Outperforming Traditional Dermatologists(00:28:43) - Patient Empowerment: Balancing Short-Term Gains with Long-Term Efficacy(00:33:25) - Quickfire Round and Launching Topical Dutasteride(00:37:56) - The Blurred Line Between Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Products(00:42:15) - Building a Telehealth Platform: From Research to Patient Access(00:46:32) - Why Traditional Pharma Won't Touch Hair Loss(00:51:08) - The Future of Decentralized Science and Patient-Led Research(00:55:43) - Beyond Hair Loss: Applications for Other Underfunded ConditionsLinks and Resources:AGEN.xyzHairDAO discord community channelFuture is Fungi AwardsTedXVitaDAOMolecule DAOAthenaDAO26. Breaking Bad Hair Habits with Biology: Suveen Sahib's K18 Rescues Your Strands⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomaterials, wood, lumber, bacterial cellulose, industrial biomanufacturing, biotech, businessHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]

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• 154. No Trees Were Harmed: Symmetry Wood's Gabe Tavas on Growing Wood from Waste

  Karl and Erum sit down with Gabe Tavas, CEO and co-founder of Symmetry Wood, who is pioneering a revolutionary approach to wood production. Gabe shares his journey from design student to bio-innovator, inspired by his time volunteering in rural Ecuador where he witnessed the devastating impact of plastic waste. His company has developed Pyrus, the first solid wood made primarily from bacterial nanocellulose—specifically, waste from the world's largest kombucha brewery. Instead of logging endangered tropical hardwoods, Symmetry Wood is targeting the high-end guitar industry first, proving that biodesigned materials can meet the most demanding performance standards. Gabe discusses the technical challenges of working with living systems, the importance of starting with niche markets before scaling to mass production, and his vision for fab cities where wood and other materials are manufactured locally from urban waste. This conversation bridges design, biology, and entrepreneurship, offering a glimpse into a future where we can create beautiful, high-performance materials without harming forests or ecosystems.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: Daylight Savings & The Joy of Extra Sleep(00:02:58) - The Art of Repair: Erum's Kintsugi Journey(00:05:18) - Wine as Art: Drops of God & Sensory Storytelling(00:06:25) - Cosmic Mysteries: Comet Atlas & The Wow Signal(00:09:39) - Synonym's Latest: Scaling Bio-Manufacturing(00:11:44) - Meet Gabe Tavas: The Man Growing Wood From Bacteria(00:15:00) - From Ecuador to Biodesign: Finding Purpose in Plastic Waste(00:18:58) - The Science Unveiled: How Pyrus Mimics Natural Wood(00:22:40) - Living Factories: The Challenge of Working With Microbes(00:25:00) - Circular Innovation: Transforming Kombucha Waste Into Premium Materials(00:31:23) - Strategic Launch: Why Start With $10,000 Guitars?(00:35:38) - Ecological Symbiosis: Co-Creating Materials With Nature(00:39:00) - The Fab City Vision: Localized Bio-Manufacturing Revolution(00:42:00) - Quick Fire: Gabe's Favorite Materials, Books & Bio-Inspirations(00:43:44) - Closing Thoughts: What It Takes to Build the Bio-EconomyLinks and Resources:Symmetry WoodSymmetry Wood InstagramSymmetry Wood LinkedInSymmetry Wood on CBS series The VisoneersLand Art GeneratorInvent WoodSynonym Partnered with BrenntagBiofabricate138. Living Textures, Wild Pigments: Suzanne Lee on Nature’s New Aesthetic ToolboxJuniper VC153. Ghosts of Biotech Past: Veronica Breckenridge’s Playbook for Smarter ScalingAvi Loeb on the 3I/ATLASTedX⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomaterials, wood, lumber, bacterial cellulose, industrial biomanufacturing, biotech, businessHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]

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• 153. Ghosts of Biotech Past: Veronica Breckenridge’s Playbook for Smarter Scaling

  In this Halloween-themed episode, Veronica Breckenridge from First Bite returns to discuss her eye-opening "Industrial Bio-Manufacturing Graveyard Report." Drawing from her experience scaling companies like Apple and Tesla, Veronica reveals why 80% of bio-manufacturing startups fail—and it's not because of bad science. The conversation explores critical mistakes like targeting commodity markets too early, underestimating downstream processing costs, and the "build it and they will come" mentality that has buried promising ventures. Veronica explains why now is actually the best time to invest in bio-manufacturing, citing decreasing costs (3 million times cheaper in 25 years), rising consumer demand for healthier alternatives to petroleum-based products, and increased government support for domestic manufacturing. She shares tactical advice on patient capital structures, the importance of strategic partnerships over going solo, and why bio-manufacturing is more analogous to hardware scaling than pharmaceutical development. The episode offers valuable lessons for founders, investors, and anyone interested in the future of sustainable 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) - Halloween intro and SNL's Snack Homies discussion(00:04:17) - Zombie apocalypse: Could fungi or viruses cause real zombies?(00:09:12) - Beyond Meat stock surge and meme trading(00:11:34) - Introducing the Graveyard Report and Veronica Breckenridge(00:14:23) - Why Veronica moved from Tesla to bio-manufacturing(00:19:45) - The three recurring market fit errors killing startups(00:27:56) - Why targeting commodity markets is a seductive trap(00:35:18) - Downstream processing: The overlooked cost killer(00:42:31) - CapEx overruns and the importance of strategic partnerships(00:48:07) - Patient capital structures for deep tech ventures(00:53:22) - What makes this moment different: Why invest now(00:58:14) - Quick fire questions and closing thoughtsLinks and Resources:First BightThe Industrial Biomanufacturing Graveyard ReportBiowell Biotech AcceleratorGinkgo ConsultingCapgeminiMcKinsey120. Busting Biotech's Bottlenecks: Veronica Breckenridge on the Path to Industrial Scale151. Report on Reports: Cash Flow, Carbon, and the BioeconomyZombie-like effects from fungusBeyond Meat’s Stock SpikeTedX BostonTechnoeconomic Analysis Tool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: industrial biomanufacturing, biotech, business, growth stage, graveyard report, halloweenHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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• 152. Crystals in the Cosmos: Varda Rewrites Drug Formulation in Microgravity

  In this episode, we explore how Varda Space Industries is pioneering pharmaceutical manufacturing in microgravity with Chief Strategy Officer Michael Riley and Chief Science Officer Adrian Radocea. The team discusses how removing gravity from the crystallization process enables better drug formulations—creating more stable, bioavailable medicines that don't require refrigeration. From their reusable spacecraft that can manufacture drugs in orbit and return them to Earth, to their vision of making space-based manufacturing routine and "boring," Varda is bridging aerospace engineering and biopharma to solve formulation challenges that have stumped the industry for decades. With $187 million in recent funding and spacecraft currently in orbit, they're transforming science fiction into a manufacturing platform that could expand access to medicines globally.Chapters:(00:00:00) Teaser and Introduction(00:05:00) Meet the Team: From Semiconductors and Global Health to Space Pharma(00:08:00) Microgravity as a Manufacturing Tool: Physics Over Chemistry(00:13:00) Which Drugs Benefit Most? Small Molecules to Antibodies(00:15:00) Bridging Aerospace and Biopharma Cultures(00:17:00) Current Mission: A Lab (and Soon Factory) in Space(00:21:00) Surprising Gravity Effects Even at 800 RPM(00:25:00) Making Space Manufacturing Cost-Effective(00:29:00) The 10-Year Vision: Routine, Industrial, and "Boring"(00:31:00) Hiring Across Aerospace and Pharma + Quick Fire QuestionsEpisode Links:VARDAElliot Hershberg on VARDA Elliot Hershberg and Patrick McCormick on VARDAElizabeth ReynoldsChris Mason Episode ⁠⁠Kate Rubins Episode⁠ ⁠Erika DeBenedictis EpisodeKyle Landry EpisodeGrow 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/groweverythingTopics Covered: space biotech, drug development, space research, low earth orbit, microgravity, crystallization  Have a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553Instagram  / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube / Grow Everything

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• 151. Report on Reports: Cash Flow, Carbon, and the Bioeconomy

  In this episode, Erum and Karl unpack six major reports that define the current state of synthetic biology and the bioeconomy. From investment trends to national security concerns, from manufacturing failures to trillion-dollar opportunities, these reports paint a complex picture of an industry at a critical turning point.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/groweverythingChapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction: A Report on Reports(00:01:00) - The Ig Noble Prize for Meta-Reporting(00:02:00) - SynBioBeta Investment Trends: Easy Money's Gone(00:06:00) - World Economic Forum: Leading with Value, Not Technology(00:11:00) - First Bite's Manufacturing Graveyard: Learning from Failure(00:18:00) - AB4S Report: Biology's Climate Potential(00:24:00) - National Security Commission: The US is Falling Behind(00:33:00) - Bio & Kearney: The Hidden Bioeconomy(00:39:00) - Cross-Report Themes and Contradictions(00:45:00) - Quick Fire Questions(00:48:00) - Final Thoughts: From Science to InfrastructureEpisode Links:Ig Nobel PrizeSynBioBeta 2025 Investment ReportWorld Economic Forum’s Report with CapgeminiAdvanced Biotech for Sustainability Coalition Report BIO and Kearney’s Bioeconomy Impact Modelling Report National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnologies Report  First Bight Ventures to Buy a Manufacturing Graveyard Report Our Live 150th episode Alexander Titus' episodeAngela Belcher's episodeGenspaceBreak into BiotechNSF and NVIDIA PartnershipTopics Covered: natural resources, feedstocks, bioprocessings, biomanufacturing, consumer products and goods, biotech, industry reports Have a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553⁠Instagram⁠/⁠Twitter⁠/⁠LinkedIn⁠/⁠Youtube⁠/⁠Grow Everything

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