Episode 181

179. D.C. Climate Week LIVE: The Road to Remake Everything

· 58:19 · Host: Karl Schmieder & Erum Azeez

Recorded live during DC Climate Week, the Grow Everything team sits down with investors Veronica Breckenridge, Jillian Chase, and Michael Luciani to unpack the real state of the US bioeconomy race with China, why fermentation and scale-up capacity are a persistent bottleneck, and how policy…

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Chapters

  1. 00:00:00 — Live from DC Climate Week: intro and panelist lineup
  2. 00:06:00 — US vs China: how real is the biomanufacturing gap
  3. 00:12:00 — Policy signals: DOD, DARPA, and non-dilutive funding
  4. 00:18:00 — Biggest bottleneck: fermentation infrastructure and scale-up capacity
  5. 00:24:00 — The “graveyard” lessons: downstream costs and manufacturability
  6. 00:30:00 — Go-to-market strategy: profit pools vs TAM, and unit economics
  7. 00:36:00 — Consumer storytelling: health, microplastics, and demand creation
  8. 00:42:00 — AI + robotics: how they change the bioeconomy race
  9. 00:48:00 — What unlocks US biomanufacturing: regulation and faster pathways
  10. 00:54:00 — What to watch next: RNA, peptides, and proof of profitable companies

Show notes

Recorded live during DC Climate Week, the Grow Everything team sits down with investors Veronica Breckenridge, Jillian Chase, and Michael Luciani to unpack the real state of the US bioeconomy race with China, why fermentation and scale-up capacity are a persistent bottleneck, and how policy, non-dilutive funding, and better founder execution can close the gap. The panel argues that the US still leads in innovation, AI, and robotics, but needs faster, clearer regulatory pathways and smarter go-to-market strategy, including focusing on high-margin “profit pools” first, designing for manufacturability and downstream processing, and building consumer demand through clearer storytelling about health and product benefits.

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) Live from DC Climate Week: intro and panelist lineup
  • (00:06:00) US vs China: how real is the biomanufacturing gap
  • (00:12:00) Policy signals: DOD, DARPA, and non-dilutive funding
  • (00:18:00) Biggest bottleneck: fermentation infrastructure and scale-up capacity
  • (00:24:00) The “graveyard” lessons: downstream costs and manufacturability
  • (00:30:00) Go-to-market strategy: profit pools vs TAM, and unit economics
  • (00:36:00) Consumer storytelling: health, microplastics, and demand creation
  • (00:42:00) AI + robotics: how they change the bioeconomy race
  • (00:48:00) What unlocks US biomanufacturing: regulation and faster pathways
  • (00:54:00) What to watch next: RNA, peptides, and proof of profitable companies

Links and Resources:

Topics Covered:

bioeconomy, biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, fermentation, biological materials, industrial biotech, US-China competition, venture capital, bio-based supply chain, biodiversity

Have a question or comment? Message us here:

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Music by: Nihilore 

Production by: Amplafy Media

About Grow Everything

Grow Everything reveals the world of biology as technology. Hosts Erum Azeez Khan and Karl Schmieder talk with the founders, scientists, and executives biologizing entire industries — biomaterials from waste, precision fermentation, cultivated food — and unpack how the bioeconomy is solving health and climate challenges. Winner of SynBioBeta's 2026 Impact Award.

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