Meet Katherine French, CEO and Founder of BluumBio
Harnessing the power of nature to clean up pollution
Meet Oxonian, Katherine French, CEO and Founder of BluumBio, and learn more about Katherine’s journey from Oxford to founding BluumBio, a biotech company that is developing the next-generation of bioremediation technologies that harness the power of nature to clean up pollution.
What did you study at Oxford?
I was a member of Trinity College where I completed an MPhil in Environmental Archaeology, followed by a DPhil in Plant Sciences. I was then a biology lecturer at Wadham from 2016 - 2017.
What was your most important takeaway from Oxford?
I have so many fond memories of Oxford and a lot of my ability to start the company, BluumBio, came from my experience being in the intellectually stimulating environment of Oxford. Also there was always a focus on turning research into something that can transform society either through policy, technology, or some other channel.
Did you always think you would be an entrepreneur?
I never thought I would be an entrepreneur. My plan for a long time was to be a professor and teach while also running a lab.
What motivated you to start this company?
I came to UC Berkeley as a postdoc in 2018 and was working on a project to develop new bioremediation approaches to clean up a former oil refinery in Bay Point, CA. After 2 years the technology was working, but the head of the lab retired, and I had to explore different opportunities to continue this work. I applied for many academic positions and grants, but found that my research was too applied. I also realized that if I really wanted to solve real world problems I needed to spend a lot of time on non-academic things, like product development and customer discovery. I ended up applying to YCombinator in 2021, turning my postdoc research into the basis for a company that would develop novel technologies for bioremediation. The initial MVP was a microbial product that removed oil from soil, but I new I wanted our company to work on harder things, like PFAS and microplastics, which would take a lot of hard work, a strong team, and funding. When I got into YC I was working at Berkeley National Lab; they make you quit your job to join and while it’s a bit scary at first, honestly that commitment to myself and my company was critical to success and actually launching BluumBio. By focusing all my efforts on founding this company, it convinced me that this could be a viable opportunity. BluumBio mixes my love for and curiosity about nature and how things work with my passion for solving hard problems. Pollution is such a huge problem, and many people think it’s too big to tackle. But as a biologist, I have faith that nature already has the microbes and enzymes to break down most of the toxic chemicals humans have made and left behind. We just need to find them. This is the basis for BluumBio.
What is the problem the company is solving?
At BluumBio we are developing bio-based products to remove toxic industrial chemicals from the environment and manufacturing waste streams.
Why is this an important problem to solve?
Pollutants from industrial processes harm the environment and endanger all living organisms, from birds and fish to humans.
How is the company solving the problem in an innovative way?
Our platform focuses on organism discovery, enzyme optimization, and product development. Our portfolio includes petroleum, PCBs, PFAS, heavy metals and microplastics. We’re really the only company coming up with microbial-based technology that can remove toxic chemicals from the environment. Our first product, Bluum Helios, is a microbial-based product that breaks down petroleum when applied. In summer field trials in Alaska, we saw 67% of the oil in the soil was broken down in one month. Naturally there is less than 1% degradation of oil per year otherwise, so the difference is profound.
What are the biggest struggles you have experienced as a founder?
Trying to turn science into a product that works for customers is not straightforward. In some cases the best scientific solution might not always be the most scalable solution that would work commercially. As a founder learning how to do more with less and being careful in how we spend money so that we can extend our runway and bring our solutions to market.
What has been your most rewarding accomplishment to date as a founder?
Doing the field trial of our first product. Fearing that it might fail then realizing that it worked really well was very rewarding. It was truly a team victory and shows you how much a committed, smart team can do.
Why is the Oxford Angel Fund excited about this investment?
The market value for bioremediation is predicted to be $330 billion by 2030 and is driven by emerging industry sustainability agendas, new laws requiring industry to clean up contaminated sites, and industry commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are impressed by the expertise of the founder and team and excited to see the results from the first trials of BluumBio’s bioremediation technologies. To learn more visit bluumbio.com.
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BluumBio
Bioremediation technologies that harness the power of nature to clean up pollution
Founders: Katherine French
Founded: 2021
Stage: Seed 2021
BluumBio,is a biotech company that is developing the next-generation of bioremediation technologies that harness the power of nature to clean up pollution. BluumBio is developing bio-based products to remove toxic industrial.