The Biotech Startups Podcast
🧬 Transforming Food Systems with Lactoferrin & Precision Fermentation | Fengru Lin Rerelease (3/3)
July 6 · 28 min · Episode 256 · 21.2 MB
0:00-28:29
Streams straight from the publisher. podnod never proxies or re-hosts episode audio.
🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr-helping life sciencestartups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing.Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr's partner network-specialsavings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Our vision is really to transform the food system. We want to be able to nourish and nurture people, the planet, and animals, and we do that by producing better-for-you ingredients through sustainable methods."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Jon Chee sits down with Fengru Lin, CEO & co-founder of TurtleTree, who is leveraging precision fermentation and a people-first culture to bring the high-value milk protein lactoferrin to market while reshaping how the food system serves both consumers and farmers. They discuss TurtleTree's strategic refocus from cell-based milk to commercially viable ingredients, the importance of business-centric leadership in biotech, and how thoughtful team-building enables faster execution, better fundraising narratives, and earlier commercialization.
Key Topics Covered:
If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review,or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcastWebsite: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Find our guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru/Website: https://www.turtletree.com/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee/
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin
Resources & Articles:SupplySide West ingredients conference: https://www.supplysidewest.comIFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo (Chicago food conference): https://www.ift.org/events/ift-first-annual-event-and-expoWorld Economic Forum feature on lactoferrin & precision fermentation: https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/posts/lactoferrin-supports-immunity-boosts-gut-health-and-improves-digestion-but-right/1441804124654488Global Dairy Trade lactoferrin pricing overview: https://www.globaldairytrade.infoMerck KGaA company overview: https://www.merckgroup.comDow Corporate company overview: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us.htmlThermo Fisher Scientific company overview: https://www.thermofisher.com
Companies, Universities, & People Mentioned:TurtleTree: https://www.turtletree.comAbbott: https://www.abbott.comFonterra: https://www.fonterra.comMerck KGaA: https://www.merckgroup.comDow: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us.htmlThermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.comSalesforce: https://www.salesforce.comGoogle: https://www.google.comExcedr: https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:37 TurtleTree’s mission to transform the food system02:22 Building an HR-first, people-centric culture04:08 Business-centric leadership as a “big symphony”07:10 Empowering experts & orchestrating the team08:12 Shifting focus from cell-based milk to lactoferrin10:44 Commercial logic of lactoferrin vs whey & casein13:11 Choosing precision fermentation over heavy CapEx15:03 B2B2C strategy & “Intel Inside”-style branding16:53 Impact on farmers, dairy, and plant-based milks18:13 Fundraising realities & gross margin discipline20:55 Stories of investor skepticism about “business” founders23:30 Walking scientists through investor communications26:03 Conferences, customer feedback & vegan demand for lactoferrin27:35 Team gratitude & advice to her 21-year-old self27:53 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
As a TBSP listener, you can get exclusive perks through Excedr's partner network-specialsavings, promotions, and more. Explore these offers today: https://www.excedr.com/partners.
"Our vision is really to transform the food system. We want to be able to nourish and nurture people, the planet, and animals, and we do that by producing better-for-you ingredients through sustainable methods."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Jon Chee sits down with Fengru Lin, CEO & co-founder of TurtleTree, who is leveraging precision fermentation and a people-first culture to bring the high-value milk protein lactoferrin to market while reshaping how the food system serves both consumers and farmers. They discuss TurtleTree's strategic refocus from cell-based milk to commercially viable ingredients, the importance of business-centric leadership in biotech, and how thoughtful team-building enables faster execution, better fundraising narratives, and earlier commercialization.
Key Topics Covered:
- Transforming the food system: TurtleTree’s vision, mission, and B2B2C positioning.
- People as core assets: Early HR leadership, culture-building, and empowering world-class scientists.
- Strategic refocus: Moving from cell-based milk toward precision fermentation & lactoferrin.
- Commercialization strategy: B2B sales, product integration, and “Intel Inside”-style branding.
- Food system impact: Price volatility, farmer pressures, and lactose-free & plant-based applications.
- Fundraising & leadership: Navigating tough markets, investor skepticism, and business-led biotech.
If you enjoy The Biotech Startups Podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a review,or sharing it with your friends. Thanks for listening.
Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcastWebsite: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/
Find our guest, Fengru Lin, at these links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengru/Website: https://www.turtletree.com/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee/
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin
Resources & Articles:SupplySide West ingredients conference: https://www.supplysidewest.comIFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo (Chicago food conference): https://www.ift.org/events/ift-first-annual-event-and-expoWorld Economic Forum feature on lactoferrin & precision fermentation: https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/posts/lactoferrin-supports-immunity-boosts-gut-health-and-improves-digestion-but-right/1441804124654488Global Dairy Trade lactoferrin pricing overview: https://www.globaldairytrade.infoMerck KGaA company overview: https://www.merckgroup.comDow Corporate company overview: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us.htmlThermo Fisher Scientific company overview: https://www.thermofisher.com
Companies, Universities, & People Mentioned:TurtleTree: https://www.turtletree.comAbbott: https://www.abbott.comFonterra: https://www.fonterra.comMerck KGaA: https://www.merckgroup.comDow: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us.htmlThermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.comSalesforce: https://www.salesforce.comGoogle: https://www.google.comExcedr: https://www.excedr.com
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:37 TurtleTree’s mission to transform the food system02:22 Building an HR-first, people-centric culture04:08 Business-centric leadership as a “big symphony”07:10 Empowering experts & orchestrating the team08:12 Shifting focus from cell-based milk to lactoferrin10:44 Commercial logic of lactoferrin vs whey & casein13:11 Choosing precision fermentation over heavy CapEx15:03 B2B2C strategy & “Intel Inside”-style branding16:53 Impact on farmers, dairy, and plant-based milks18:13 Fundraising realities & gross margin discipline20:55 Stories of investor skepticism about “business” founders23:30 Walking scientists through investor communications26:03 Conferences, customer feedback & vegan demand for lactoferrin27:35 Team gratitude & advice to her 21-year-old self27:53 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.
No links were found in this episode’s notes.