Axel realized he could use locally produced agro-industrial fruit waste to feed the bacteria, creating a circular production model. They named this cell-based leather alternative Celium™ and began producing it in the lab optimally located 30 miles away from Mexico’s biggest tanning hub, León Guanajuato.
By now the next-generation materials industry was gaining traction, and some key stakeholders came on board to help define the company’s direction: Ariel Gómez Ortigoza, advisor in business development; José Luis Hernández, advisor in large-scale fermentation production and scaling; Eduardo Parra, financial advisor; and Manuel Aguilar, PhD, genetic and scientific advisor, who later became the company’s CSO.
