Calysta appoints Thomas Huot, Ph.D. as Chief Operating Officer

Leading alternative protein producer Calysta has appointed Thomas JG Huot, Ph.D. as its Chief Operating Officer to lead global operations and corporate development activities. Additionally, Dr. Huot is responsible for corporate strategy and the commercialization of Calysta’s FeedKind® protein.

Dr. Huot brings more than 20 years of experience in research in biological sciences, venture investing, project financing and strategic partnerships, including a significant focus on industrial biotechnology, specialty chemicals and nutrition.

Prior to joining Calysta, he had previously been with VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global venture investor with a focus on energy innovation and technology that had more than $4bn under management. At VantagePoint, Dr. Huot was a Managing Director where he led the industrial biotechnology, food and agtech investing practice. Thereafter, Dr. Huot provided strategic advisory services to start-up companies and investment funds in the life sciences and nutrition sectors for Novalis Advisors LLC. It was here he first learned of Calysta and its pioneering sustainable, traceable protein, FeedKind®, and after a year of advising the company with its commercialization and partnership strategy, in 2018, Calysta appointed Dr. Huot as Chief Business Officer.

Dr. Huot said: “With FeedKind protein, Calysta is well positioned to address the dual challenge of food security and environmental sustainability. I’m delighted to have joined at a particularly exciting time in the company’s trajectory.

“I’m looking forward to expanding Calysta’s innovations to broader markets, particularly in Asia where there is significant opportunity to provide feed products for aquaculture.”

Alan Shaw, Ph.D., Calysta President and CEO, said: “Thomas brings a wealth of directly impactful experience, knowledge and network of customers, partners and investors to Calysta and has been an invaluable addition to the team.

“We strongly believe that FeedKind protein will make a lasting and positive impact on the way we produce food and having Thomas on board in this expanded role is a fresh vote of confidence in Calysta’s ability to achieve that on a global stage.”

Calysta’s patented, state-of-the-art fermentation process uses no arable land and very little water, and does not compete with the human food chain, translating into greater production of food with fewer utilization of resources. FeedKind is a key enabler for growth of the aquaculture market by reducing reliance on conventional sources of proteins.

As the global population grows from 7 billion in 2010 to a projected 9.8 billion in 2050, and incomes grow across the developing world, overall food demand is on course to increase by more than 50 percent, and demand for animal-based foods by nearly 70 percent. FeedKind protein can help achieve a sustainable food future by meeting the growing demands for food while avoiding deforestation and allowing the restoration of abandoned and unproductive land.

Dr. Huot added: “With each day bringing more evidence, we as a global community, cannot bury our head in the sand any longer, we must make significant and lasting changes the supply, source and production of our food.

“With FeedKind, we offer a truly sustainable solution that can help us make more from less and deliver a more secure food future for everyone – a challenge that I look forward to taking on in the months and years ahead.”

FeedKind is already being produced from the company’s Market Introduction Facility (MIF) in Teesside, England to support market development activities with leading animal nutrition companies around the world.

For more information about Calysta, visit www.calysta.com.