Episode #24: This Startup Is Making Your Daily Products Safer

Tech Optimist Podcast — Tech, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation

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Alumni Ventures

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2 min

Join Alumni Ventures’ Managing Partner Greg Baker on the Tech Optimist podcast as he chats with Charlie Silver, co-founder and CEO of Ruby Bio. Charlie shares how his company is redefining the chemical industry by replacing harmful petrochemicals with more sustainable alternatives. Ruby Bio uses a revolutionary platform to transform sugar into high-performance chemicals used in everyday products like detergents and shampoos. These innovations not only aim to enhance product quality but also significantly reduce environmental impact. Tune in to learn how Ruby Bio is paving the way for a cleaner, safer future, tackling some of the largest markets in the world with their sustainable solutions.

Episode #24 – This Startup Is Making Your Daily Products Safer

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Catch the latest episode of the Tech Optimist podcast as Alumni Ventures’ Managing Partner Greg Baker sits down with Charlie Silver, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Ruby Bio. Discover Ruby Bio’s transformative approach to the chemical industry, where they’ve developed an innovative platform that converts sugar into high-performance, eco-friendly chemicals used in everyday items like detergents and shampoos. Learn how these sustainable alternatives are not only enhancing product quality but also making significant strides in reducing environmental impact. Join us to explore how Ruby Bio is setting a new standard for sustainability, addressing some of the biggest markets with their game-changing solutions for a cleaner, safer future.

Watch Time ~31 minutes

The show is produced by Alumni Ventures, which has been recognized as a “Top 20 Venture Firm” by CB Insights (’24) and as the “#1 Most Active Venture Firm in the US” by Pitchbook (’22 & ’23).

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Creators and Guests

HOST

Greg Baker
Managing Partner at Alumni Ventures

Greg has been a Managing Partner with Alumni Ventures since 2017. He is the Founder of Bascom Ventures and runs Towerview Ventures and has made more than 100 investments as a member of Alumni Ventures. These investments include: American Gene Technologies, SHINE Medical, Mission Bio, Axiom Space, Matchwell, and many others. Prior to joining AV, Greg was a highly accomplished executive with experience in corporate leadership, business development, startups, M&A, strategic planning, and more. He spent much of his career growing businesses in the electrical products, packaging, and chemical industries. Greg has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin (’86) and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University (’91).

GUEST

Charlie Silver
Founding CEO, Ruby Bio

Charlie Silver is the Founding CEO of Ruby Bio, a company mission to decarbonize the planet from the private sector. Ruby Bio uses naturally occurring yeast as a factory to convert low-cost sugar into high-value products. Their proprietary biosynthesis platform can manufacture complex molecules that are biodegradable and non-toxic.​

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