132. Bond. Enzyme Bond. CurieCo's Erika Milczek on Replacing Chemicals with Biotech

Karl and Erum sit down with Erika Milczek, CEO and founder of Curie Co, to explore how synthetic biology is rewriting the rules of modern chemistry. Erika, a former Merck chemist, shares her journey from Big Pharma to launching a biotech startup that engineers enzymes to replace legacy chemicals in personal care and consumer goods. With insights grounded in regulatory shifts, manufacturing scalability, and the power of directed evolution, Erika discusses how her team is building a “biotech alternative to petroleum-based chemistry.” Whether you're curious about enzyme engineering, bioindustrial startups, or how synthetic biology can drive sustainability in everyday products, this episode delivers a high-energy, deeply technical, and inspiring dive into the future of materials innovation.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to the Future: Setting the Stage
• 00:00:22 - Juggling Labs, Life, and Launchpads
• 00:01:27 - Terraforming Mars? Let’s Dream Big
• 00:04:58 - Joe Rogan, Speciation, and Sci-Fi Tangents
• 00:10:08 - Biotech Beauty Week: Innovation on Display
• 00:14:13 - Meet Erika Milczek: Enzymes Over Everything
• 00:33:03 - Feeding the Bug: The Spark Behind Discovery
• 00:35:15 - Scaling Science: What Makes Commercialization Hard
• 00:35:51 - Why Partnerships Make or Break Biotech
• 00:38:02 - Following the Rules: Regulatory Shifts & Product Strategy
• 00:42:48 - From the Lab to RTP: Building in Biotech's Backyard
• 00:45:37 - Ecosystem First: How to Build Bio Economies
• 00:50:01 - Fundraising Real Talk: Investors, Guts & Growth
• 00:53:50 - Biomanufacturing Is Just Getting Started
• 00:56:29 - Let’s Talk Packaging: Biotech’s Next Frontier
• 00:59:52 - Wrapping Up: Lessons, Hope, and What’s Next

Links and Resources:

• Curie Co
• Mars: One Day on the Red Planet (film)
• Marsbound by Joe Haldeman (book) 
• The case for Mars terraforming research (Erika de Benedicts research paper)
• Ben Lamm on Joe Rogan Experience
• Dire Wolf on the cover to Time Magazine
• Supplier's Day 2025 during Messaginglab's unofficial Biotech Beauty Week
• Capsum - microfluidics contract manufacturing
• P2 company - conditioning agents⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Topics Covered: 

biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinouts

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Email: groweverything@messaginglab.com

Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media