Advisors

Dr. Sean Simpson
CSO, Founder – LanzaTech

Dr. Simpson is the founder of LanzaTech and LanzaJet, currently valued at over US$1b. Dr. Simpson has over 10 years of experience encompassing startup, scale-up, and commercial development of world-leading clean-tech.

Matanuku Mahuika
Callaghan Innovation, Chair – Eastland Generation

Matanuku has held significant governance roles, including Deputy Chair of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (now Moana New Zealand), Chair of Sealord Group, Chair of the Ngāti Porou Holding Company, and Chair of the Eastland Group.  He is currently the chair of Eastland Generation, a renewable energy developer and operator which is jointly owned by the Eastland Group and Obayashi Corporation.  His boardroom experience spans sectors such as fisheries, agribusiness, investment, infrastruture and Māori economic development.

Richard Mehrtens
Managing Director – GLOBALEAGLE

Richard is a worldly commercial advisor and investor, with over 35 years of deep experience in legal, investment banking, strategy/structuring, transactional, and governance roles. He is an ex-partner of the law firm Russel McVeagh; is chairman of AJ Hackett Bungy NZ and the Snowvision Foundation; and is managing director of GLOBALEAGLE, based in Arrowtown, New Zealand.

Support and collaboration

MetGen
Technology Supply & Advisory

COO, Matti Heikkilä — CEO, Alex Michine

Alex holds an MBA, is the Founder of MetGen and has over 15 years international experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and cleantech industries. MetGen is a world leading supplier of commercial enzymes and associated enzyme based processes based in Finland. Matti is a Biotech Engineer with 17 years of experience in industrial biotechnology and previously held positions at Genencor/ DuPont as Lead Engineer for development of industrial Bioscience.

Callaghan Innovation
Grant Funding & R&D Support

Callaghan Innovation is the New Zealand innovation agency, working with innovators and entrepreneurs to activate innovation and accelerate commercialisation to help businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand.

Scion Research
Grant Funding & R&D Support

FBV works very closely with Scion Research as there is natural alignment with Scion being a Crown Research Institute focused of forestry and forestry products. Both Scion and FBV share an ambition to established advanced Biorefining for New Zealand with Scion supporting industry and ourselves in their development.

NZTE
Grant Funding & Investment Support

New Zealand Government entity, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) has been providing FBV with support to align investors throughout development stages. Along with providing assistance with intellectual property development and engineering evaluation through targeted grants.

MBIE
Grant Funding

FBV received funding for a NZ$120,000 PreSeed Accelerator Fund (PSAF) project through the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), co-funded by Scion Research, FBV and Trust Tairāwhiti to evaluate the most promising Biorefinery technologies, assisting FBV’s early Due Diligence.