Bridging the Gap Between Biotech and Industry
Executive Summary
Transformed a grassroots biotechnology startup focused on mycelium-based waste remediation from an incubator-stage concept into a venture-backed ($3M+), enterprise-ready circular economy leader. By architecting the brand narrative, conceptualizing the onsite delivery model, and identifying high-value revenue streams, I helped scale a complex science-based story into a commercially viable industrial solution.
The challenge
Waste management is a “hidden” industry dominated by old-school institutions. The core technology—using mycelium to break down complex toxins in construction waste—was scientifically sound but difficult for investors to visualize at scale.
The Hurdles:
Narrative Complexity: Explaining “mycelium remediation” to non-scientists.
Logistics: Solving the cost-prohibitive nature of transporting heavy waste to a lab.
Business Logic: Moving beyond a “tipping fee” service model to find true commercial value.
Strategic Narrative: “A Problem Over Our Heads”
I authored the award-winning pitch deck that served as the company’s first major catalyst.
The Strategy: Instead of leading with biology, I led with a universal problem: Asphalt Shingles. * The Hook: By framing the story as “A Problem Over Our Heads,” I humanized the massive toxic footprint of roofing materials.
The Result: This relatable framing won prestigious incubator recognition and provided the initial momentum that led to over $3 million in subsequent funding rounds.
Award winning deck
Influence & Authority
I recognized early that the founder was an exceptional communicator. I advised a “Founder-First” PR strategy to build a moat of authority in a skeptical industry.
Execution: The founder has an incredible knack for storytelling and influence. I advised she leverge those skills to become a thought leader in green tech, resulting in high-profile publications and industry awards.
Result: This built the social capital necessary to engage with “Old Guard” waste management institutions as an equal partner rather than a disruptor.
Venture Architecture: The “Frankendumpster”
Understanding that the science needed to work where the waste lives, I worked closely with the founder to solve the onsite scalability problem.
The Innovation: I conceptualized the “Frankendumpster,” an early-stage prototype of an environmentally controlled shipping container.
The Impact: This shifted the business model from a centralized facility to a modular, onsite remediation service. This “plug-and-play” logic is what allowed the company to eventually sign and service major enterprise-level manufacturing clients.
Early stage concept helped to tell the story of scaling the process.
Value Stream Optimization: From Service to Product
In deep dives with the founder, while the market saw a “waste removal company,” the “raw material manufacturer.” * The Pivot: We shifted the focus from the cost saved by avoiding landfills to the value created by the byproduct. The mycelium-transformed material was often more valuable than the cost of the remediation process itself.
Strategic Outcome: Established ownership rights over the transformed material, turning a service-based business into a high-margin Circular Economy product company.
eon
| Pillar | Specific Contribution | Long-term Result |
| Narrative Strategy | Developed multiple investor decks, including the “Problem Over Our Heads” pitch deck. | Won recognition; provided the seed-stage that built momentum lead to $3M+ in funding. |
| Logistics Design | Conceptualized the “Frankendumpster” mobile unit. | Enabled investors to visualize onsite scalability; became the blueprint for current industrial units. |
| Financial Logic | Identified the value of the “transformed” material and how to tell story around the benefits | Shifted the business from a service model to a high-margin circular economy model. |
| Growth Strategy | Strategized with the Founder on PR and executive positioning. | Established Mycocycle as a category leader in mycelium remediation. |
Investor relations
High-level Seed funding investors were mailed eco-friendly merchandise packets.
A simple investor-focused website to show the value of the process and the end product.
A simple investor-focused website to show the value of the process and the end product.
Strategic Design: Using Playful Simplicity to Bridge the Abstract
Because mycelium remediation was a brand-new concept to the construction and manufacturing sectors, it often felt “abstract” or “experimental.” I realized that a clinical, overly technical brand would alienate old-school stakeholders.
The Design Strategy: I steered the visual identity toward a clean, playful iconography style. This wasn’t just an aesthetic choice; it was a strategic tool to keep the focus on potential and application.
The Psychological Impact: By keeping the visuals “friendly” and simple, we removed the “ick factor” associated with fungus and waste. This invited clients to project their own problems onto our solution, asking, “Could this work for my specific waste stream?”
The Result: The branding functioned as an “Invitation to Innovate.” It turned a complex biological process into a relatable tool, making the founder’s high-level science feel accessible, safe, and ready for industrial adoption.
The investor website was created to focus on the value add for key industries.
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