4 Minutes with…Steven Fabijanski, President and CEO, Agrisoma

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

We have commercialized a non-food, sustainable crop that provides a high quality oil for diesel and jet fuels, leveraging the existing agriculture infrastructure to achieve scale and economic supply. A drop in crop for agriculture with a good fit for the most challenging farming regions.

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

Our goal is the introduction of our products on an increasing global scale, focusing on second cropping and rotation options for farmers. Better use of marginal land, more farmer income and a reliable and sustainable global source of feedstock for diesel and jet. The opportunity for farmers is substantial. Our products merge the scalable and capital efficient value chains of agriculture with the demand for non-food feedstock, enabling biofuel manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent criteria for biofuels. In addition, our by-product is a high quality protein animal feed, enabling enhanced food production. Our goal is to realize these advantages across multiple geographies to supply the global biofuels industry.

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

1.) Regulatory harmonization, agreeing to the price and value of lower carbon fuels and the benefits of the industry to consumers.
2.) Demonstration of new generation technologies at scale so governments believe
3.)Re-engaging the public with a cleaner future and consumer products that are better than petroleum derived products.

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

Cohesive messaging on what the industry does, simple, clear and effective.

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?

Making a change in the way we do things.

Where are you from? 

Chicago, Ill

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

University of Miami, Biology – Would you chose Miami or University of Wisconsin? Think January.

Who do you consider your mentors. What have you learned from them?

Persistent people who grind away at goals. Advanced science technology is a long road and those who travel it live for the 1% success against the 99% failure. There are many examples of people who work to accomplish a goal that is not primarily financial in nature.

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

Keep cool, take a staged approach, there is always an answer. (May not be the one you want, but there is an answer and path forward.)

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

Cycling

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

David Quammann’s the “Song of the Dodo”
One Calvin and Hobbs compilation
A comprehensive Abraham Lincoln Biography

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?

Anything related to the space program during the 60’s

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

Florida Keys