COMPANY INFO
The company name is NovoNutrients. It was founded in 2017 by Brian Sefton, Bahare Howard, and Russell Howard. NovoNutrients has about 14 employees and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The company operates in the biotechnology industry, specifically focusing on sustainable food and feed production. Their website is https://www.novonutrients.com. NovoNutrients develops a fermentation platform that transforms industrial waste carbon dioxide emissions into alternative protein food and feed ingredients, helping to feed a growing population while combating climate change through carbon capture and utilization. Their technology uses proprietary microbes and bioreactors to produce high-quality single-cell protein ingredients with minimal water and land use, offering a cost-effective and scalable solution for sustainable protein production. (novonutrients.com, pitchbook.com, tracxn.com)
NovoNutrients is a biotechnology company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, dedicated to sustainable food and feed production. NovoNutrients leverages a proprietary fermentation platform to upcycle industrial waste carbon dioxide into high-quality, cost-effective alternative protein ingredients for both food and feed markets.
The NovoNutrients executive team brings deep expertise from diverse sectors, including industrial biotechnology, agribusiness, synthetic biology, venture capital, and large-scale process engineering. This dynamic leadership group has a track record in scaling sustainable technologies, scientific innovation, and strategic collaborations, driving NovoNutrients’ mission to transform carbon capture into tangible solutions for global protein demand and climate challenges.
Jonathan Forrest Wilson was appointed CEO of NovoNutrients in March 2025. He brings a global perspective to the company, focusing on scaling NovoNutrients’ groundbreaking technology from pilot to commercial scale, with a particular emphasis on breakthroughs in agribusiness and aquaculture innovation.
Jonathan has over 26 years of experience leading industrial and agribusiness companies, including roles as president of Alltech Asia Pacific and COO and acting CEO of Gold Coin Group. He has spearheaded major cross-border mergers, technology deployments, and capital projects across Asia-Pacific and globally, as well as serving as a senior advisor to leading private equity firms.
David Tze served as CEO of NovoNutrients from July 2017 to February 2025, overseeing the company’s growth from early-stage innovation to recognized leader in CO₂-to-protein fermentation. David led pivotal strategic pivots, expanded market reach, and championed sustainable aquaculture feed solutions during his tenure. As Senior Advisor, he continues to contribute to NovoNutrients’ strategic direction.
David holds an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University and has a background in aquaculture investment management, venture capital, and consulting. He co-founded and managed Aquacopia Venture Partners LLC and brings a wealth of experience from roles in technology, media, and corporate development.
Joachim Ritter, CTO since September 2021, drives NovoNutrients’ technology and product development. He spearheads the design and optimization of proprietary catalysis and biocatalysis processes, prioritizing renewable feedstocks and environmentally responsible production methods.
Joachim earned his Dr.rer.nat. in Chemistry from Heidelberg University and completed postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley. He has held senior leadership positions in R&D at Zymergen and DuPont, specializing in catalysis, renewable materials, and process engineering for scalable biotech applications.
Kedar Patel leads the biology division at NovoNutrients, shaping molecular biology strategies, intellectual property, and microbial production strains critical to product innovation. His leadership underpins NovoNutrients’ industry-leading advancements in single-cell protein and synthetic biology.
Kedar holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and has built expertise in synthetic biology, genome engineering, and protein design. He has held senior scientific roles at Zymergen and DNA2.0, accumulating over 20 patents and multiple high-value publications.
William J. Coleman is Distinguished Scientist at NovoNutrients, focusing on synthetic biology and protein engineering to enhance enzyme function for both food and industrial markets. He plays a crucial role scaling NovoNutrients’ CO₂-to-food technology for commercial use.
William earned a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. An expert in enzyme engineering and high-throughput screening, he previously served in leadership roles at Intrexon Corporation and Protelica, Inc.
Heyward Robinson served as VP of Corporate Development from 2016 to 2018, leading business development, partnerships, strategic planning, communications, and financing activities during NovoNutrients’ early growth stages.
Heyward holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University and has a strong track record in clean energy, sustainability, and local government leadership, with particular strengths in environmental program development and advocacy.
Max Johansen leads finance, business development, and external partnerships for NovoNutrients. He is instrumental in shaping communications and sustaining company growth through effective data analysis and market advocacy.
Max holds a Master of Public Health from The George Washington University. His professional background spans academic research, public health, and politics, with skills in research analysis and strategic stakeholder engagement.
Josh Troll heads NovoNutrients’ fermentation process development. He is responsible for optimizing high-throughput fermentation modeling in complex environments to maximize microbial production efficiency.
Josh holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His industry experience encompasses biochemistry, molecular biology, fermentation, and roles at EVERY® and Demetrix.
Matthew Lankford oversees cross-functional project execution at NovoNutrients, ensuring timely delivery and process optimization through Lean Six Sigma methodologies across teams.
Matthew completed an Associate of Arts in Business Administration and Management from Diablo Valley College. He has significant project management experience within pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.
James Angus Chandler directs microbiology and genomics research at NovoNutrients, advancing bacterial genomics, adaptive laboratory evolution, and microbial physiology to accelerate the company’s product pipeline.
James holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Davis. He brings deep expertise from previous industry and postdoctoral roles at Impossible Foods, Zymergen, and in genetic engineering and biotechnology.
The NovoNutrients leadership team blends decades of experience in biotechnology, agribusiness, advanced fermentation, and sustainable technology development. With founders bringing vision and energy, and a management team united by complementary scientific, entrepreneurial, and operational strengths, NovoNutrients is well-equipped to drive scalable impact in alternative proteins and carbon utilization. The company’s structure fosters collaborative problem-solving and agile decision-making, ensuring NovoNutrients remains at the forefront of sustainable biotechnology innovation.
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