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Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Request for Problems

We believe that achieving the potential of biotechnology is key to solving some of the biggest challenges we face, but to make that possible we must rethink how we build companies, products, and technologies. We are looking to take focused bets on tangible problems that are visible to leaders with market wisdom and deep connections into supply chains, to move biotechnology from the lab to product. We’re calling for product developers, translators, and operators who deeply understand their markets, their customers, and the problems they face.

RFP - 01 Data Infrastructure
Artificial intelligence has a physical reality

Scaling AI models requires massive amounts of hardware and electricity, generating waste heat and contaminated water. Biology can help.

OPPORTUNITY AREAS

We’re looking for experts with bold ideas for addressing the challenges limiting the performance and efficacy of digital infrastructure.

HEAT

Data center operations generate enormous amounts of heat that limit performance and throttle scaling. Novel bio-enabled materials and coolants can improve thermal efficiency.

WATER

Semiconductor manufacturing and data center wastewater require specialized treatment. Biology offers unique opportunities in improving wastewater treatment.

MATERIALS

Nanofabrication, biotemplating, renewable chemicals manufacturing, and advanced programmable materials offer new opportunities for semiconductors and beyond.

SENSORS

Bio-based sensors offer high sensitivity, dynamic range, and broad multi-modal capabilities across a range of applications, enhancing data collection and real time monitoring.

Read more about the opportunity for bio in data infrastructures in the full RFP ⬈

The Program

Become a Ferment Entrepreneur in Residence to grow your idea into a Venture-fundable business

What You Bring
  • Experience in data center infrastructure, semiconductors, or high performance materials industry
  • Nuanced understanding of difficult problems challenging industry growth
  • Entrepreneurial mindset and curiosity about biology’s problem solving potential—you do NOT need to be a biology expert
What FERMENT Brings
  • $50,000 for the first design phase and up to $3M in subsequent seed funding
  • Resources, strategy development processes, and expertise in biotechnology
  • Collaborative network of advisors and potential partners to help your business idea scale and succeed

Learn more about the Ferment process in the full RFP ⬈

Ready to build?

Applications due February 14

APPLY NOW

Hear from Existing Ferment CEOs

Ferment builds with serial entrepreneurs and industry veterans who are commercial and product development leaders in their industry.  Hear what some of our past EIRs and current Ferment CEOs have to say about building with Ferment:

Patrick Vagner CEO, Alchemyca
Before building with Ferment, Patrick spent 15 years leading business units involved in the energy transition at British Petroleum (bp) and Ginkgo Bioworks. In 2023, Patrick began building Alchemyca with Ferment to bring enzymes to the world of biogas and organic waste.

Why I Built with Ferment:
“I saw a big opportunity in the growing biogas market for smart deployment of biological tools like enzymes. I knew working with Ferment would give me the chance to tackle that opportunity as quickly and efficiently as possible with their company-building playbooks and access to strategic capital networks.”

Nicole Richards CEO, Allonnia
With over 28 years of industry leadership in water treatment, mining, and industry chemicals, Nicole brought the perfect skill set to help Allonnia create the next generation of bioremediation solutions. Before Allonnia, Nicole served as the Strategy, Growth, and M&A leader for DuPont Water Solutions and as a Global Director at Solvay.

How Ferment De-Risks the Hardest Parts of Company Building:
‍"One of the early challenges in building a new company is managing the complexities of creating a sustainable operation while establishing market presence. Ferment helped mitigate these challenges by handling essential operational tasks, connecting us with key industry players, and ensuring we had the right support from day one."

Frank Jaksch CEO, Ayana Bio
As founder and former CEO of ChromaDex (NASDAQ: CDXC), Frank has more than 25 years’ experience developing consumer products in the life science, F&B, and dietary supplement spaces. With Chromadex, he built an ingredient and consumer product business from the ground up, from inception to a successful IPO. Having been immersed in the world of natural products for decades,

Ferment's Biggest Company-Creation Value-Add:
‍"The Ferment team was instrumental in helping advise and guide Ayana during the early formative stage of the company and ultimately produced a substantive and detailed strategic vision and plan not normally seen for early-stage start-up."

Jasmina Aganovic CEO, Arcaea
As the CEO of Arcaea, Jasmina Aganovic leverages the power of expressive biology to create a new wave of beauty products that provide consumers with innovative and sustainably sourced ingredients. Prior to launching Arcaea, she was the Founder and President of Mother Dirt, a skin microbiome brand that developed the first live probiotic and biome-friendly products for the skin acquired by SC Johnson. 

How I Chose to Build with Ferment:
‍"I chose to build Arcaea with Ferment because of the ecosystem that Ferment provides, including unparalleled access to cutting-edge biotech and a network of top-tier experts who supported my vision for innovation in my industry."

Hear from Existing Ferment CEOs

Ferment builds with serial entrepreneurs and industry veterans who are commercial and product development leaders in their industry. Hear what some of our past EIRs and current Ferment CEOs have to say about building with Ferment:

Patrick Vagner CEO, ALCHEMYCA
Before building with Ferment, Patrick spent 15 years leading business units involved in the energy transition at British Petroleum (bp) and Ginkgo Bioworks. In Summer 2023, Patrick began building Alchemyca with Ferment to bring enzymes to the world of biogas and organic waste.

Why I Built with Ferment:
“I saw a big opportunity in the growing biogas market for smart deployment of biological tools like enzymes. I knew working with Ferment would give me the chance to tackle that opportunity as quickly and efficiently as possible with their company-building playbooks and access to strategic capital networks.”

Nicole Richards CEO, Allonnia
With over 28 years of industry leadership in water treatment, mining, and industry chemicals, Nicole brought the perfect skill set to help Allonnia create the next generation of bioremediation solutions. Before Allonnia, Nicole served as the Strategy, Growth, and M&A leader for DuPont Water Solutions and as a Global Director at Solvay.

How Ferment De-Risks the Hardest Parts of Company Building:
‍"One of the early challenges in building a new company is managing the complexities of creating a sustainable operation while establishing market presence. Ferment helped mitigate these challenges by handling essential operational tasks, connecting us with key industry players, and ensuring we had the right support from day one."

Frank Jaksch CEO, Ayana Bio
As founder and former CEO of ChromaDex (NASDAQ: CDXC), Frank has more than 25 years’ experience developing consumer products in the life science, F&B, and dietary supplement spaces. He has built an ingredient and consumer product business from the ground up, taking the company from founding to a successful IPO. Having been immersed in the world of natural products for decades, Frank understands the significant challenges encumbering the space.

Ferment's Biggest Company-Creation Value-Add:
‍"The Ferment team was instrumental in helping advise and guide Ayana during the early formative stage of the company and ultimately produced a substantive and detailed strategic vision and plan not normally seen for early-stage start-up."

Jasmina Aganovic CEO, Arcaea
As the CEO of Arcaea, Jasmina Aganovic leverages the power of expressive biology to create a new wave of beauty products that provide consumers with innovative and sustainably sourced ingredients. Prior to launching Arcaea, she was the Founder and President of Mother Dirt, a skin microbiome brand that developed the first live probiotic and biome-friendly products for the skin acquired by SC Johnson.

How I Chose to Build with Ferment:
‍"I chose to build Arcaea with Ferment because of the ecosystem that Ferment provides, including unparalleled access to cutting-edge biotech and a network of top-tier experts who supported my vision for innovation in my industry."

Incredible capabilities are now available to anyone who wants to build with biology.

If you would like to engage with us, we’d love to hear from you.

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We have the capacity to create everything we need to flourish – from food to medicine to new materials. As we adapt biology with compassion and care, the future is waiting to be written.

Let’s grow a new world together.

Terms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy
© Copyright 2025 Ferment. All rights reserved. Images Created by Tal Danino Studio.

We have the capacity to create everything we need to flourish – from food to medicine to new materials. As we adapt biology with compassion and care, the future is waiting to be written.

Let’s grow a new world together.

Terms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy
© Copyright 2025 Ferment. All rights reserved. Images Created by Tal Danino Studio.
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