In this episode of Coffee With a Founder, BAM CEO Beck Bamberger sits down with Dr. Harshal Chokhawala, co-founder and CEO of ZymoChem, a biotechnology company using advanced fermentation to create sustainable materials for everyday products.
Harshal shares ZymoChem’s journey from years of laboratory research to the commercialization of BAYSE, the world’s first scalable, 100% bio-based and biodegradable superabsorbent polymer. Designed for diapers, feminine hygiene products, and other personal-care applications, BAYSE offers a renewable alternative to the fossil-based plastics traditionally used throughout the hygiene industry.
He also explains what it takes to move a deep-tech innovation from scientific discovery to a market-ready product—including meeting manufacturers’ expectations for performance, affordability, and scale. The conversation examines the environmental and health concerns surrounding microplastics, along with the personal experiences with pregnancy and parenting that made the company’s mission even more urgent.
Together, they explore building a high-functioning team, creating a supportive network of partners and investors, and translating complex biotechnology into a message consumers can understand. It is a conversation about turning breakthrough science into practical solutions—and reimagining the materials inside products millions of people use every day.