4 Minutes With…Mark Emalfarb, CEO, Dyadic International

September 23, 2014 |

emalfarbFor a guy deep in the gene business, ironic that he started off with jeans. Back in the 70s, Dyadic began as a pioneer and leader in providing ingredients used in the stone-washing of blue jeans. Along the way the company developed its pretty awesome C1 fungal microorganism platform that has been licensed by Codexis and Abengoa amongst others.

All through the ups and downs of developing an industrial biotech company, Mark’s remained one of the most passionate advocates of the space, and one of the few to park a company in sunny Florida — which, as fall beckons, met be a great drawing card for attracting top talent (for the  tropics-adverse, he’s got a large R&D organization based in the Netherlands as well).

Tell us about your organization and it’s role in the Advanced Bioeconomy.

Dyadic applies its proprietary & patented technologies through internal use and through C1 licensees such as BASF and Abengoa to develop and manufacture enzymes to create fermentable sugars, and other byproducts from the feedstock’s being used (i.e. corn, wheat, and sugar cane and beet. We also develop enzymes that help improve feed utilization.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

Dyadic’s goals are to continue to improve the yields at which enzymes can be produced, at even lower costs through our commercially proven C1 Expression System which is being utilized in industrial fermenters of up to 500,000 liters.
We are looking to add new licensees, as well as develop new and better enzymes for sale through Dyadic’s own business where we sell our own enzymes to customers in more than 35 countries.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?

Find ways to create renewable fermentable sugars in abundant quantities at low cost through lignocellulose as a feedstock as well as through traditional feedstock’s such as corn, wheat and sugar cane and beet.
Without low cost sugars, without negatively impacting the food chain there will be severe limits on the growth of this industry.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change?

The cost of fermentable sugars from renewable resources that do not impact the food chain.

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you?

Because we have one of, if not the best, platform for making enzymes for breaking down lignocellulose into fermentable sugars. Our C1 technology platform has plenty of opportunity to continue to create cellulosic sugars for both first and second generation biofuels and bio based chemicals.

Where are you from? 

I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois, however I have lived in Jupiter Florida for almost 25 years.

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway? 

I went to college and wrestled at the University of Iowa, and majored in Journalism..

Who do you consider your mentors?

Robert F. Kennedy, I believe that I have taken some of his famous quotes to heart and practice:
“There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”
“Fear not the path of Truth for the lack of People walking on it.”
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”
“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?

I learned through athletics never to give up, and to do what you love and enjoy and do things that make a difference.
I have gone through great adversity in my career and in my personal life, in the end you have to keep your head down and do your best to get through it.
We at Dyadic are living proof that anything is possible, and I am proud of my part in creating, and bringing Dyadic back to new heights despite all the adversity we had to go through to get here. I hope we have been an inspiration to others in this industry, and others that you can accomplish anything you set out to do through hard work and determination, however you cant do it alone.

Find the people who are the best at fixing the problem and listen to them.

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry? 

Unfortunately I am very rarely away from work, and the only true time I am away from work is when it is impossible to be connected, such as a raft trip through the Grand Canyon.

What are 3 books you’d want to have with you, if you were stranded on a desert island.

I don’t want to have any book with me on a desert island other than books on how to survive and live on a desert island!

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?

I’m like Marco Polo, I like to explore new places and cities. My favorite place is a place I have never been, whether it turns out to be a great experience or not, it is always an adventure.

Category: Million Minds

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