Co-Founder & Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO) – Strategic InvestorEcoSTEM Group | Europe | Advanced Biomaterials | Industrial BiotechnologyLocation: Europe (UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium or other European innovation hubs) Role: Executive Co-Founder Equity: Meaningful founder-level participation Personal Investment: USD 120,000–240,000 (indicative) Engagement: Long-term entrepreneurial commitment About EcoSTEMOur ambition is to build the world's first fully integrated agricultural-residue-based biodegradable materials company. EcoSTEM is developing an integrated agricultural biomass biorefinery to transform banana pseudostems and other agricultural residues into high-value industrial materials. Our philosophy: We do not need to grow another crop to manufacture materials. We want to unlock the value of biomass already generated by food production. Rather than extracting only fibre, we aim to utilise multiple components of agricultural biomass through a cascading biorefinery model. Our development portfolio includes:
• Natural fibres, yarns, technical textiles and composites.
• Biodegradable nonwovens, thermal insulation and mattress materials.
• Sustainable cold-chain and protective packaging.
• Non-wood pulp and speciality cellulose.
• Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and nanocellulose.
• Lignin, hemicellulose and bio-based chemicals.
• Moulded pulp and advanced packaging.
• Biomass-derived liquid products and agricultural formulations. Our objective is to develop materials that combine agricultural-residue sourcing, industrial performance and independently validated biodegradability. We are not building another fibre company. We are building a new industrial materials platform. The OpportunityWe are seeking an exceptional scientific entrepreneur, industrial R&D; leader and strategic investor to join EcoSTEM as Co-Founder and CTIO. This is a Europe-based founder opportunity for someone who wants to move beyond corporate R&D; and help build a globally competitive technology-driven industrial company. The selected co-founder will lead our technology and innovation strategy, unlock the scientific and commercial value of agricultural biomass, establish European research partnerships and help build proprietary industrial technologies. This is not a conventional salaried CTO or advisory position. Personal capital investment is an essential requirement.

Key Responsibilities
1. Biomass Biorefinery Technology
• Develop integrated processing and fractionation technologies.
• Unlock the value of fibre, pith, core, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and liquid streams.
• Improve material recovery, process efficiency and feedstock economics.
• Develop scalable process flowsheets and mass-balance models. 2. Advanced Materials R&D;
• Lead development of speciality cellulose, MCC and nanocellulose.
• Explore lignin-based resins, binders and bio-based chemicals.
• Advance natural fibres, technical textiles, nonwovens and composites.
• Develop insulation, mattress and sustainable packaging materials. 3. Industrial R&D; and Commercialisation
• Establish EcoSTEM's R&D; and innovation capabilities.




• Build laboratory and pilot-scale development programmes.
• Lead technology transfer, process optimisation and industrial scale-up.
• Develop intellectual property, patents and proprietary process know-how.
• Translate research into commercially viable products. 4. European and Global Partnerships
• Build relationships with European universities, research institutions and industrial R&D; centres.
• Develop joint research, technology licensing and co-development programmes.
• Establish strategic partnerships with advanced materials manufacturers.
• Identify European innovation grants and collaborative R&D; opportunities. 5. Strategic Investment and Fundraising
• Develop the technology-led investment proposition.
• Identify strategic investors, European funds and industrial partners.
• Participate in institutional fundraising and technical due diligence.
• Help attract strategic capital and international partnerships. Ideal Candidate
• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Biotechnology, Industrial Biotechnology or a related discipline.
• Preferably 12–20+ years of industrial R&D; or technology leadership experience.
• Experience with multinational companies, industrial research organisations or technology-driven businesses.
• Proven ability to take technologies from laboratory research to pilot or commercial scale.
• Expertise in one or more areas: biomass fractionation, cellulose, MCC, nanocellulose, lignin, natural fibres, polymers, biocomposites or industrial biotechnology.
• Experience in intellectual property, technology transfer and commercialisation.
• Solid European industrial, academic or research relationships.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, commercial judgement and willingness to build a company. We value demonstrated industrial commercialisation more than academic credentials alone. Personal Investment – Essential RequirementWe are seeking a co-founder prepared to invest personal capital alongside contributing scientific expertise, executive leadership and international relationships. Indicative personal investment: USD 120,000–240,000. The investment amount, valuation, timing and shareholding will be mutually negotiated following due diligence. Candidates interested only in employment, advisory roles or equity without personal investment are not the target for this opportunity. Founder-Level EquityMeaningful founder-level equity participation will be discussed based on:
• Personal capital invested.
• Scientific and industrial R&D; contribution.
• Technology and intellectual property development.
• Executive commitment and leadership.
• European partnerships and strategic business development.




• Contribution to institutional fundraising and enterprise value creation. Investment equity and performance-linked founder equity will be separately structured, with appropriate vesting and legal documentation. First 24-Month PrioritiesFirst 90 days
• Develop an integrated biomass valorisation and technology roadmap.
• Identify priority product streams and R&D; projects.
• Establish the IP strategy and European partnership pipeline.
• Prepare the technology-led investment roadmap. Months 3–12
• Advance selected cellulose, MCC, nanocellulose and lignin pathways.
• Improve fibre processing and application-specific materials.
• Initiate European research and industrial collaborations.
• Generate prototypes and customer validation trials. Months 12–24
• Advance selected technologies towards pilot-scale validation.
• Establish repeatable process specifications and quality benchmarks.
• Secure industrial technology partnerships.
• Develop commercially viable advanced material product lines. Our AmbitionUSD 60 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE BY FY2030–31. We aim to build a globally competitive agricultural biomass biorefinery and advanced materials company, supported by proprietary technologies, international partnerships, scalable manufacturing and global customers. This is an ambitious strategic target, not a current revenue forecast. Why Join EcoSTEM?
• Build a new industrial technology platform with multiple product verticals.
• Unlock the value of agricultural biomass for global industries.
• Develop proprietary technologies and intellectual property.
• Establish European and international R&D; partnerships.
• Invest personally and participate in long-term enterprise value creation.
• Help build a company with meaningful environmental and industrial impact.

How to Apply
We invite senior technology leaders, industrial R&D; executives and scientific entrepreneurs who are seriously considering building and investing in a technology-driven industrial venture. Please share:
• CV or LinkedIn profile.
• Major industrial R&D; and technology commercialisation achievements.
• Technologies taken from research to commercial scale.
• European and international experience.
• Your proposed contribution as Co-Founder.
• Willingness and indicative capacity to make a personal investment in the USD 120,000–240,000 range. Interested candidates can contact the Founder & CEO of EcoSTEM Group through LinkedIn. EcoSTEM Group www.ecostemgroup.com The world-first ambition represents EcoSTEM's intended market positioning, not independently verified global precedence. Biodegradability will be established for individual finished products through appropriate testing. Appointment, investment and equity participation are subject to due diligence and definitive legal agreements. #EcoSTEM #CoFounder #CTIO #StrategicInvestor #AdvancedMaterials #Biomaterials #Biorefinery #IndustrialBiotechnology #BiodegradableMaterials #SustainableMaterials #CircularEconomy #AgriculturalWasteValorisation #Cellulose #Nanocellulose #MCC #Lignin #TechnicalTextiles #ClimateTech #DeepTech #EuropeanInnovation

📌 Co-Founder &CTIO (India)
🏢 Ecostem Group
📍 India