Shara Ticku
Co-founder and CEO
Location / Year Founded / Industry:
New York / 2018 / Biosciences
What Is c16 Biosciences:
Made from yeast in a lab, c16's first palm oil alternative, "Palmless", will replace palm oil-derived ingredients in everything from nut butter and cheese to sunscreen and shampoo and could forever change the food and personal care industries—decarbonizing the consumer products supply chain in the process.
Why Does It Matter:
Today, more than 77M metric tonnes of palm oil is produced each year. But this $61B industry has drastic environmental and societal costs: rainforests from Costa Rica to Indonesia are destroyed to make way for oil palm tree plantations, destroying habitats for people and endangered wildlife, while releasing carbon dioxide.
Why You Should Care:
For decades, scientists have tried to create a lab-grown alternative to palm oil using yeast and algae that not only matches performance but also price. For the first time, c16’s yeast is able to reach price parity with palm oil, offering a sustainable alternative that represents a $5B opportunity in the beauty and home care industry, and a $20B opportunity in food.