July 27th, 2023, 10:00 am PT / Category: Interviews
Why does Prolific Machines exist? How can cultured meat help us save the natural world?
Summary fo the video
Deniz Kent, the co-founder and CEO of Prolific Machines, was featured in this interview discussing the innovative work his company is doing in the field of cultured meat and biomanufacturing. Kent’s journey began with a background in human health, including cellular and molecular medicine research and pharmaceutical work. He eventually became interested in planetary health, particularly climate change and ecological disruption, which he saw as existential risks.
Prolific Machines is focused on solving the challenges associated with growing and controlling cells, especially mammalian cells, for various applications, including cultured meat. Kent explained that the current methods of growing cells are expensive, not very reproducible, and prone to contamination. Prolific Machines aims to invent new ways to grow and control stem cells, utilizing engineering, bioreactor design, and software to optimize the process. Their goal is to increase yields, improve reproducibility, and make the production of cultured meat more efficient and cost-effective.
Kent emphasized that their approach isn’t limited to just cultured meat but also extends to other applications such as human tissue engineering, antibodies, and more. The team at Prolific Machines consists of experts from various disciplines, including synthetic biology, physics, engineering, software development, cell biology, and material science.
Kent discussed the moral and philosophical aspects of consuming animal products, especially in light of technological advancements like cultured meat. He highlighted the challenges of finding justifications for traditional animal agriculture and explored the potential of cultured meat to address environmental and ethical concerns. He also touched on the potential environmental impact of cultured meat, noting that ongoing innovations in materials and processes could significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
Kent concluded by sharing his advice for other entrepreneurs, encouraging them to hire people who are smarter and more competent than themselves and emphasizing the importance of staying focused on the long-term vision.
Bio
Deniz Kent is a mission-driven scientist passionate about growing meat without killing animals, making healthcare affordable, and becoming a multi-planetary species. He co-founded Prolific Machines to help address all three of these domains.
Prolific Machines is inventing a new way to grow and control cells. Their technology will enable industry leading cost per cell produced, and they are open to making it available to all meat companies. Learn more and join the waitlist at www.prolific-machines.com.
