Welcome to Our Advisors
iMicrobes welcomes Dr Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, and Dr. Jim Barber, ex-CEO of Metabolix as advisors to the company
Alameda, California, May 23, 2023 - iMicrobes (Industrial Microbes, Inc.), a leading biotechnology company focused on turning greenhouse gases (GHG) like methane into net-zero materials, is pleased to announce the addition of two renowned industry leaders, Dr. Jennifer Holmgren and Dr. James Barber, to its team of advisors.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Holmgren and Dr. Barber," said Noah Helman, co-Founder and CEO of iMicrobes. "Their vast knowledge and experience in the biotech industry will be invaluable as we continue to scale our industrial partnerships for net-zero chemical production.”
Dr. Jennifer Holmgren is the CEO of LanzaTech, a leader in carbon recycling, and has over 30 years of experience in the energy and renewable technology sector. She is the author and co-author of 50 U.S. patents and more than 30 scientific publications, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career.
“iMicrobes and I are aligned on the path forward to address climate change: cost-effective solutions are key to accelerating the shift away from petrochemicals and powering the circular economy,” remarked Dr. Holmgren. “Today, the chemical industry is under growing pressure from consumers and legislators to reduce its carbon footprint. I am thrilled to support a company with passionate founders and a unique technology focused on building a greener chemical industry for generations to come."
Dr. Jim Barber is the ex-CEO of Metabolix and took the company from research boutique to a world renowned leader in industrial biotechnology with a market cap of over $500M. Dr. Barber has over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology industry. His experience includes senior leadership roles at the Organometallics and Catalysts business of Albemarle Corporation, Ethyl Corporation, and other chemical businesses.
Barber shares: “I am a big believer in iMicrobes ability to profoundly transform the chemical industry and help reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. I am particularly excited about the growth phase they are embarking on, now that they have demonstrated that they can produce high-quality drop-in chemicals with industrial partners. In addition, they have an enormous potential to deliver attractive, sustainable products for new growth markets such as biodegradable bioplastics.”
By preventing waste biomethane from directly entering the atmosphere and using it as a feedstock, iMicrobes has modeled a 30% to 45% cost reduction and net-zero emission for processes like acrylic production. iMicrobes has recently completed successful testing with seven commercial partners and demonstrated that they can produce drop-in chemicals at lower cost and net-zero emissions.
Dr. Holmgren and Dr. Barber join an existing advisory board that includes go-to-market experts Johan van Walsem, Olivier Marie, and Mark Oberle and marketing expert Veronique Lafargue.
After an initial $12M in funding from grants and investors, and the addition of Dr. Holmgren and Dr. Barber to its advisory team, iMicrobes is ready to scale its existing processes and to welcome new partners.
About iMicrobes
iMicrobes is a synthetic biology company on a mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable materials. The company has developed and successfully implemented a biomanufacturing process that turns greenhouse gases (GHG) like methane into a wide range of net-zero chemicals, using patented microorganisms.
iMicrobes is committed to fueling the circular economy through innovation and collaboration with research and industrial partners.
To learn more about iMicrobes visit www.imicrobes.com.
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