Founder - Biotech CDR
Job Description
About Marble
Marble is a climate tech venture studio. Our north star is to erase billions of tons from annual greenhouse gas emissions and create a thriving future.
We partner with scientists, engineers and operators to create new deeptech companies that solve hard climate problems — slash industrial emissions, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and cool the planet — while reshaping multi-billion $ industries.
We're proud to be backed by leading climate investors across Europe and the US.
Hard Climate Problem: Bioengineered CDR
Biological carbon fixation pulls 100s of Gt C from the atmosphere every year, as plants, algae, bacteria, archaea, and other organisms form biomass through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Nature-based solutions harness this superpower but cannot deliver the scale of permanent carbon removal that the world needs.
We believe there are several white spaces to engineer biology for large-scale CDR, taking advantage of a cambrian explosion in synthetic biology tools and methods. We are exploring opportunities across two broad categories.
One general idea is to use organisms that grow fast (possibly engineered to grow faster) and prevent biomass decomposition to CO2 or CH4.
Another approach is to use biological agents to increase the performance of inorganic systems like direct air capture and geochemical carbon removal.
Potential opportunities
- Storage biomolecules: engineering plants or microbes to produce recalcitrant carbon (e.g. sporopollenin, algaenan, lignin, suberin, oxalates, other).
- Bio DAC: using biocatalysts to enhance reaction kinetics in direct air capture. Can we engineer optimal enzymes for the job and produce them at scale? What would be the ideal DAC process integration for such an idea?
- Biogeochemistry: using biology to enhance silicate weathering and mineral carbonation. Which mechanisms (e.g. enzymes, microbes, secondary metabolites) are ideal in which geochemical process? How can they be enhanced?
- Other potential approaches:
- Improved biomass preservation (e.g. burying, sinking, extreme conditions)
- Large scale cultivation of (super)species fit for purpose
- Novel biosynthesis pathways (e.g. rewiring N/P metabolism in autotrophs)
- Augmented photosynthesis (CCM, plastid/chloroplast, C3 to C4/CAM, etc)
- Approaches for peatlands and coastal blue carbon
- Synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, molecular biology, with experience in working with model organisms and manipulating genetic circuits
- OR Enzyme engineering, with experience in enzyme optimization, enzyme immobilisation and other methods to enhance stability and activity
- OR Plant sciences, microbiology, or related, with experience in plant developmental biology, biomass processing
- OR Computational biology, systems biology or related, ideally with experience with retrosynthesis tools and other predictive modeling
Nice to have: fundamentals of chemical and process engineering, materials science, MRV, techno economic modelling, life cycle assessment
What We Offer
As a Founder-in-Residence, you will join stellar individuals who also believe in the need for deeptech solutions to solve hard climate problems.
Together, we would be scoping high potential approaches before converging on the most promising one and finding your future co-founders
We offer (among other things)
- A €2,500 monthly allowance during your participation in the programme
- A €250,000 pre-seed investment on startup creation if you’re successful. You and your team will own 80% of the company at pre-seed.
- Full-stack support in our venture creation programme
- Mentorship and guidance at every step of the way
- Hands on support across technology and market research, landing interviews with experts and customers, techno economics, roadmap and scale up strategy, IP strategy, team building, advisor sourcing, and more
- Access to an unparalleled network across science, industry, talent, investors, mentors, climate tech founders, curated vendors and suppliers
- Access to our research insights, knowledge base and resources
- Weekly check-ins, work sessions in our Paris HQ (or remote) and continuous peer learning with other programme participants
- Seed Fundraising support after the programme. Introductions to the best seed investors from our network and help with term sheet negotiation.
- Founder Visa sponsorship if you wish to relocate to France. Remote participation is possible, preferably from Europe and with regular in-person meetings.
How to Apply
We are currently taking applications for the November 2023 cohort and we are interviewing on a rolling basis so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible!
We believe that a diverse group of minds is key to solving the climate crisis. We encourage women and people of colour to apply.
Studies have shown that under-represented candidates are less likely to apply unless they feel they meet every single qualification. If you are excited about the opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly - we encourage you to apply anyways.
We are committed to a diverse, inclusive and mission-driven Founder community.
FAQs
For a full list of FAQs, please visit our website.