It all started with a 15 year old visiting in a biotech lab. Bam, the next generation of innovator was shaped and not so long down the track, Alinta Furnell, would become the CEO and co-founder of Synbiote, a company focusing on creating high-grade industrial bioplastics.

Alinta's journey, from an unexpected email halting can production for their non-alcoholic beer to transforming waste into innovative bioplastics.

Alinta shares her unique perspective on biotech, viewing it as harmonizing natural processes with modern applications, contrary to the common belief of its synthetic nature. The episode also covers the team's rapid achievement of taking a non-alcoholic beer from concept to market in 150 days, highlighting the efficient process and unexpected challenges faced, such as nearly exploding a brewery.

And if you like diversification in early career, you're in for a treat, with Alinta's numerous roles and experiences that contributed to her holistic understanding of biotech commercialization, and her success in various accelerator and fellowship programs, emphasizing the importance of community and personal branding in her career.

00:00 The Unexpected Trademark Hurdle

00:37 Welcome to Multiple Hats

01:05 Meet Alinta Furno: CEO of Symbiote

01:22 From Non-Alcoholic Beer to Bioplastics

01:50 Understanding Biotech and Sustainability

03:03 Challenges and Misconceptions in Biotech

04:37 Symbiote's Innovative Bioplastics

07:13 The Journey from Beer to Bioplastics

14:44 Alinta's Early Career and Inspirations

33:03 Starting the Brewing Journey

34:00 Sales Strategy and Rapid Innovation

38:29 Overcoming Trademark Challenges

41:09 Scaling Up Production

48:02 Community and Support Systems

54:53 Navigating PR and Personal Branding

59:52 Reflecting on Privileges and Barriers

01:01:31 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

You can learn more at https://www.synbiote.com/

And for more info on bioplastic in general you can read these two papers https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-021-00407-8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10905720/

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

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Imagine what it would be like to struggle with poor vision every day and not be able to afford a pair of glasses. That's the reality for many people in remote communities across the globe.

Dr. Sarah Crowe recalls an ambulance driver in Papua New Guinea who found himself in dangerous situations due to his poor vision.

Stuck by the astonishing reality that so may people do not function properly, when all they would need is a pair of simple glasses, she founded OOXii Global and the 4eyesVision Foundation —a change in paradigm in making glasses accessible to all, taping in the healthcare workers on the ground.

With over 20 years of experience as an ophthalmologist, Sarah is adventurous and determined.

Tune in for her early career as a junior doctor during Apartheid in South Africa, how she then set up her own ophthalmology practice while having her kids and to her entrepreneurial ventures.

Great insights on leveraging accelerators like UNSW founders, partnering with other foundations, getting grants and the ever challenging investor landscape where ROI is the reigning metrics, beyond the social impact.

00:00 Meeting the Ambulance Driver

00:27 Introduction to Multiple Hats

00:45 Interview with Dr. Sarah Crow

02:26 The Mission of OOXii Global

02:58 Challenges in Remote Areas

05:36 Sarah's Academic Journey

08:19 Experiences in South Africa

13:00 Starting a Family and Career

17:18 Launching an Ophthalmology Practice

23:24 The Birth of OOXii Global

34:51 Deploying Existing Solutions for Impact

35:16 Simple Innovations Saving Lives

36:48 Community Involvement and Local Empowerment

39:36 Challenges and Reactions to Vision Kits

40:30 Funding and Business Model

46:01 Tech Development and Prototyping

57:37 Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare

01:03:35 Naming and Structuring the Organization

01:07:29 Lessons Learned and Final Thoughts

Lear more about Sarah

https://www.4eyesvision.org/author/sarah-crowe/

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

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A Deep Dive into the UNSW Founders Program - one of the most acclaimed accelerator in Australia.

Community is everything! If you are a founder trying to reinvent the wheel, you are going to have a hard time but if you can find the right community for where you are in your journey, it is a fast track for your start-up.

A fast track in motivation, in network, in knowledge and know how and in funding access.

In this episode of 'Multiple Hats,' we take a deep dive on the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Australia with Dina Titkova, UNSW program managers who overview a range of programs at the University of New South Whales (UNSW).

Dina Tiktova shares insights into the comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystem at UNSW and on the various programs from ideation to global scaling, including accelerators such as Founders 10X and Health 10X, and supportive events like the Peter Farrell Cup.

We talk about the importance of strategic partnerships, systemic challenges in the startup landscape, and the essential characteristics of resilient entrepreneurs.

Real-life examples, pivot stories, founders archetype, Listen up about UNSW programs and how these can foster innovation and prepares founders to tackle industry-specific challenges.

And hold your breath for UNSW alumni interviews like Dr. Dorsa Rad CellSync Biosciences), Dr. Sarah Crowe (OOXI), Alinta Furnell (Synbiote).

Don’t wait any further and engage with the community!

You can learn more:

https://unswfounders.com/peter-farrell-cup

https://www.heospace.com/

https://www.cardiobionic.com/

You can visit my website - angeliquegreco.com.au

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00:00 Introduction to Multiple Hats

01:42 Meet Dina Tiktova: UNSW Founder Program Manager

02:59 UNSW Founders Program Overview

04:06 Supporting Startups: From Ideation to Global Scaling

07:55 Success Stories: From Space Tech to Health Innovations

11:38 Dina's Journey: From Engineering to Bioentrepreneurship

13:21 Comparing Startup Ecosystems: Sweden vs. Australia

17:34 The Role of Accelerators and Incubators

22:40 Becoming a Founder: From Idea to MVP

26:52 Strategic Partnerships in Health Tech

32:13 Investor Myths and Barriers in Australia

34:00 Direct Investments and Syndicates

36:36 Accelerator Program Structure and Support

38:50 Navigating the Remote Era

42:47 Founder Archetypes and Mindset Shifts

47:38 Pivoting and Learning from Failure

52:22 Collaboration and Systemic Barriers

57:40 Increasing Diversity in Startups

59:59 Conclusion and Future Episodes

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