CEO Insights Magazine

Everything today is digital and the pace of business and information flow is now unprecedented. The pace of digital transformation has really penetrated through the surface, particularly after the pandemic. While going digital was viewed as an option earlier, today it is not a choice anymore in the new normal. Among the plethora of industries adopting technology transformation journey today, Food & Beverage industry also pivots its growth trajectory evolving with sustainability and innovation factor. Especially, the number of food-tech companies are mounting in Israel, tackling food sustainability factor through solutions that help reduce waste, streamline operations, and even enhance customer satisfaction while reducing environmental impact.

Aviel Even is a recognized professional who is consciously working to change how humanity is making food through his organization-Ingrediome, a fast-paced biotechnology-oriented food-tech company. He is a proficient biotech entrepreneur focused on eliminating human reliance on animal-based food, and thus is leveraging his prior experience as a Founder in the food-tech realm, robust business and technical acumen is overhauling the F&B industry passionately advocating sustainable food solutions. Let’s get to know more about him!

Could you give a brief account of your professional background and experiences? What is the motivation that fuels your daily routines?

I come from a combined background of science and entrepreneurship. In the past 7 years I have been working to leverage my knowledge in synthetic biology to find ways to replace animals in the food system. Previously, I was a student of veterinary medicine and I encountered animals in the food industry. The cruelty of animal husbandry was so devastating that it led me to renounce the studies.

Hence, doing so, I went and pursued Ph.D studies in Neurobiology, and studied human genetics. Well doing research, getting good results, and my research thesis getting published in excellent papers, I somewhere felt a void. The dairy industry kept reflecting in my mind. I felt I must do something about it, and started my journey in the food tech industry.

Could you tell us about the unique experiences Weizmann Institute of Science offers and what did you learn from the campus beyond academics?

This was my first encounter on the road to the commercialization of science, from philanthropist to investors, from protecting intellectual property to the legal affairs of starting a company. Well my conscience drew me make an attempt to stop animal husbandry, through Ingrediome by making nature-identical animal proteins to capture the essence of meat by harvesting the power of the fastest-growing photosynthetic microorganisms on the planet. I am moving ahead with the enlightenment.

How would you define Ingrediome Inc. as an organization and its current position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to clients?

Ingrediome is a Food & Beverage manufacturing company, but is different due to its unique approach. We are setting up a competition for cultured meat companies employing a more resource and cost-effective path for making real meat. By making nature-identical meat proteins we are able to replicate meat’s culinary and nutritional value, bringing a super-scalable alternative to making traditional meat to the market.

Elaborate about the technology framework built within the company’s solutions and which are the latest technology trends that the company is planning to adopt.

Ingrediome is building a CO₂ negative, ultra-low-cost precision fermentation platform to create nature-identical meat proteins using traditional agriculture techniques of Microalgae. While our company is employing deep-tech to achieve its goals, our production process mostly relies on farmers rather than scientists.

Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?

Previously serving as a Captain in the Israel Defense Forces, I aspire to lead by setting an example and creating a feeling of belongingness. Rather than directing, I offer our team to follow a common path toward our mission of ending animal agriculture by providing an identical alternative to meat.

What is the future destination you are heading towards?

In the coming period, we will focus on few last R&D production milestones to enable us to scale and present to the world our meat from nature identical meat proteins in 2025.

Aviel Even, CEO & Co-Founder, Ingrediome

He is a pioneering biotech entrepreneur focused on eliminating the reliance on animal-based food. With prior experience as a founder in the food-tech realm, he possesses robust business and technical acumen. Aviel's strategic prowess has fostered collaborations with corporations, venture capitalists, and research institutions. During his tenure at IndieBio San Francisco, he honed his startup skills. Fluent in English, French, and Hebrew, Aviel also offered advisory services at Cukierman & Co. Investment House. Beyond his business achievements, he's a passionate advocate for sustainable food solutions, aiming to replace animal-based resources through innovative biotech approaches. His multifaceted journey encompasses academia, entrepreneurship, and environmental consciousness, cementing his role as a driving force in shaping biotech's profound influence on our future.

QUICK FACTS:

• Hobbies: Backpacking, hiking, and playing guitar
• Favorite Cuisine: Thai
• Favorite Book: Two she-bears by Meir Shalev
• Favorite Travel Destination: India
• Awards & Recognition: EMBO stay abroad fellowship, by European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), 2016. This award enabled me to perform research in Liege University Hospital in Belgium, investigating the neurodevelopmental disease Familial Dysautonomia. - Award for French-Israeli scientific collaboration, by the French Embassy in Israel, 2014. This award enabled me to perform research at Marie Curie Institute in Paris, investigating the neurodevelopmental disease Familial Dysautonomia. - Prize for outstanding academic achievements in memory of Elad Grenadir, by Tel-Aviv University, 2010. Elad fell in battle and served in the Nachshon battalion, where I served as well during my military service.