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High-performance biomaterials from fruit waste.

www.polybion.bio

The Idea in Action

The materials we use today are deeply entwined with extractive and polluting systems, from animal hides to plastic-derived textiles. These materials come with a steep environmental cost, and few offer circular, scalable alternatives that meet the needs of modern design.

Polybion exists to close this gap, using biology to build better materials from the ground up. By growing cultivated cellulose using fruit industry waste, Polybion transforms what would be discarded into something durable, beautiful, and sustainable. Their approach tackles waste, pollution, and over-reliance on conventional resources in one elegant solution.

The Story So Far

Founded in Mexico in 2015 and incorporated in Spain, Polybion is a biotech startup at the forefront of cultivated materials. The founding team, made up of scientists, designers, and engineers, built one of the world’s first microbial biofabrication facilities from scratch. Today, Polybion operates out of a proprietary, industrial-scale production facility where they grow Celium™ with precision and purpose.

With deep expertise in fermentation and material science, Polybion is creating next-generation biomaterials that meet the performance needs of 21st-century brands while drastically lowering their environmental footprint. Their pioneering work has earned them recognition as a leader in the biomaterials space and a go-to partner for global companies seeking innovative, circular alternatives.

Visionaries

Axel Gómez-Ortigoza

01

Axel Gómez-Ortigoza

CEO & Co-founder

Industrial engineer and biotechnology entrepreneur with a deep commitment to sustainable innovation. As Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Polybion, he leads the development of high-performance biomaterials that replace animal and petroleum-derived alternatives. With a strong foundation in engineering, he focuses on scaling next-generation technologies that are biologically grown rather than extracted or synthesised. His work aims to redefine the way materials are designed, produced, and integrated into global supply chains, prioritising circularity, transparency, and regenerative practices.

01

Alexis Gómez-Ortigoza

02

Alexis Gómez-Ortigoza

CEO & Co-founder

Entrepreneur and business strategist with a cross-functional background spanning finance, economics, product design, and brand development. As Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Polybion, he oversees the company’s business operations, global partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. He also leads Polybion’s brand, marketing, and design efforts ensuring the company’s identity, storytelling, and customer experience align with its mission. With a passion for building purpose-driven companies, he bridges science, business, and design to make innovation both scalable and meaningful. His strategic leadership ensures that Polybion’s vision is not only executed efficiently but resonates with impact.

02

Diogo Frada

03

Diogo Frada

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operations Officer with over 20 years of experience running large-scale manufacturing facilities in the automotive textile industry. At Polybion, Diogo leads all operational aspects of the company, ensuring efficiency, quality, and scalability across the production process. His deep expertise in industrial operations and supply chain management brings rigor and structure to Polybion’s transition from pilot-scale innovation to commercial manufacturing. With a track record in high-performance, regulated industries, he plays a key role in aligning technical execution with business goals.

03

José Manuel Aguilar Yáñez

04

José Manuel Aguilar Yáñez

Chief Scientific Officer

Molecular biologist and academic researcher with over 15 years of experience in microbiology, synthetic biology, and biotechnology. Widely recognised as one of the leading geneticists in Mexico, José serves as Chief Scientific Officer at Polybion, where he leads the company’s scientific research and innovation strategy. He specialises in engineering microbial systems to produce high-performance recombinant biomaterials at scale. His work bridges cutting-edge genetics with material science, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of biofabrication and advancing the field of industrial biotechnology.

04

Axel Gómez-Ortigoza

CEO & Co-founder

Industrial engineer and biotechnology entrepreneur with a deep commitment to sustainable innovation. As Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Polybion, he leads the development of high-performance biomaterials that replace animal and petroleum-derived alternatives. With a strong foundation in engineering, he focuses on scaling next-generation technologies that are biologically grown rather than extracted or synthesised. His work aims to redefine the way materials are designed, produced, and integrated into global supply chains, prioritising circularity, transparency, and regenerative practices.

01

Alexis Gómez-Ortigoza

CEO & Co-founder

Entrepreneur and business strategist with a cross-functional background spanning finance, economics, product design, and brand development. As Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Polybion, he oversees the company’s business operations, global partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. He also leads Polybion’s brand, marketing, and design efforts ensuring the company’s identity, storytelling, and customer experience align with its mission. With a passion for building purpose-driven companies, he bridges science, business, and design to make innovation both scalable and meaningful. His strategic leadership ensures that Polybion’s vision is not only executed efficiently but resonates with impact.

02

Diogo Frada

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operations Officer with over 20 years of experience running large-scale manufacturing facilities in the automotive textile industry. At Polybion, Diogo leads all operational aspects of the company, ensuring efficiency, quality, and scalability across the production process. His deep expertise in industrial operations and supply chain management brings rigor and structure to Polybion’s transition from pilot-scale innovation to commercial manufacturing. With a track record in high-performance, regulated industries, he plays a key role in aligning technical execution with business goals.

03

José Manuel Aguilar Yáñez

Chief Scientific Officer

Molecular biologist and academic researcher with over 15 years of experience in microbiology, synthetic biology, and biotechnology. Widely recognised as one of the leading geneticists in Mexico, José serves as Chief Scientific Officer at Polybion, where he leads the company’s scientific research and innovation strategy. He specialises in engineering microbial systems to produce high-performance recombinant biomaterials at scale. His work bridges cutting-edge genetics with material science, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of biofabrication and advancing the field of industrial biotechnology.

04

As Featured In

16/05/2025
Nature Biotechnology: Fruit waste for catwalk fashion
24/09/2024
Vogue: Runway Debut with GANNI at Paris Fashion Week (SS25)
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