Solugen

Together we are leading the world’s transition to clean chemistry

We are a team of scientists, doctors, engineers and innovators working together to decarbonize the chemicals industry. In that pursuit, we draw on diverse experiences, deep expertise, and a relentless commitment to clean chemistry for the world.

Our Founders

Gaurab Chakrabarti CEO, Co-Founder

  • Grew up across the street from the Bioforge
  • Performed acapella in college and med school

Gaurab is the co-founder and CEO of Solugen. As a physician-scientist, Gaurab took an oath to first do no harm—and for him, that goes beyond patients or medicine. So in 2016, he started Solugen to decarbonize the chemicals industry, one of the most damaging for people and the Earth. Gaurab believes in using biology in unconventional ways to solve incredibly complex problems and is building a world-class team to join him on the journey.

Gaurab is the co-founder and CEO of Solugen. As a physician-scientist, Gaurab took an oath to first do no harm—and for him, that goes beyond patients or medicine. So in 2016, he started Solugen to decarbonize the chemicals industry, one of the most damaging for people and the Earth. Gaurab believes in using biology in unconventional ways to solve incredibly complex problems and is building a world-class team to join him on the journey. Gaurab studied computational neuroscience as an undergraduate at Brown University and received his MD & PhD in cancer biology and enzymology at the University of Texas. He is an author or co-author on more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and patents, and he is a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Industry and Manufacturing.

Sean Hunt CTO, Co-Founder

  • Has more than 40 peer-reviewed papers and patents
  • Made the surface of tungsten carbide behave like platinum (in only 7 years!)

Sean is the co-founder and CTO of Solugen. He focuses on utilizing novel metal catalysts, scaling up proprietary process technologies, and developing the framework for Solugen’s molecule factories. His engineering endeavors have spanned a wide range of industries and applications, working as fuel cell engineer for the U.S. Navy, a vaccine and API process engineer for Merck in Singapore, and a Cocoa Puff engineer at General Mills.

Sean is the co-founder and CTO of Solugen. He focuses on utilizing novel metal catalysts, scaling up proprietary chemienzymatic process technologies, and developing the framework for Solugen’s molecule factories: the Bioforge. His engineering endeavors have spanned a wide range of industries and applications, working as fuel cell engineer for the U.S. Navy, a vaccine and API process engineer for Merck in Singapore, and a Cocoa Puff engineer at General Mills. Sean holds a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT where he studied renewable energy and green chemical manufacturing on metal catalysts as an NSF graduate research fellow. He is a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Industry and Manufacturing and co-author on more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and patents, including first author publications in Science, Angewandte Chemie, and Energy and Environmental Science. He lives in Houston with his wife and two Pomeranians.

Our Scientists

Toni Lee Head of Enzymology

  • Has wanted to be a scientist since age 6

Dr. Lee is our Director of Enzymology. She is a protein engineering biochemist who oversees discovery and development of enzymes for use in our processes. She trained at UCLA and the California Institute of Technology under Dr. Stephen Mayo. She heavily collaborated with 2018 Nobel Prize Winner Frances Arnold’s group, engineering enzymes—a cornerstone of our process at Solugen—for sustainable biofuel production.

Dr. Lee is our Director of Enzymology. She is a protein engineering biochemist who oversees discovery and development of enzymes for use in our processes. She trained at UCLA and the California Institute of Technology under Dr. Stephen Mayo. She heavily collaborated with 2018 Nobel Prize Winner Frances Arnold’s group, engineering enzymes—a cornerstone of our process at Solugen—for sustainable biofuel production. Dr. Lee is passionate about sustainability, environmental stewardship, and environmental health, a purpose that has guided much of her career. In 2013, she served as a policy fellow with the California Council on Science and Technology where she worked on natural resources and water legislation. She spent the 5 years following at Provivi, Dr. Arnold’s sustainable insect control company until she joined Solugen in 2019.

Hans-Jorg Wolk Director of Heterogeneous Catalysis

  • The only student at his university to study both Chemistry and Archaeometry

Dr. Woelk is our Director of Heterogeneous Catalysis, leading our research and development efforts in the area. He studied Chemistry at the Free University of Berlin and wrote his thesis on fluor-organometallic chemistry. His interest in heterogeneous catalysis began soon after at the Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society in Berlin, where his PhD thesis focused on selective partial oxidation reactions.

Dr. Woelk is our Director of Heterogeneous Catalysis, leading our research and development efforts in the area. He studied Chemistry at the Free University of Berlin and wrote his thesis on fluor-organometallic chemistry. His interest in heterogeneous catalysis began soon after at the Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society in Berlin, where his PhD thesis focused on selective partial oxidation reactions. Over the last 20 years, Dr. Woelk has explored a range of topics in the field of process optimization by various types of catalysts, with a focus on oxidation, hydrogenation and acid-base catalysis. In the process, he has collaborated with the likes of Lurgi AG, Sued-Chemie AG, and Sasol Germany GmbH.

Leadership

Sean Liu Chief Financial Officer

Sean leads Solugen’s finance organization, spearheading our efforts in investor relations, strategy, and M&A. With a B.S. in Foreign Service and over a decade of leadership experience at top global investment firms, Sean brings a valuable global perspective to our molecular ventures.

Scott Robertson Chief Commercial Officer

Scott leads Solugen's commercial team, which is responsible for navigating the details of disrupting a multi-trillion dollar industry. Scott has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master's in Data Science from UC Berkeley, and a BS in System Engineering from the US Naval Academy.

Travis Thibodeaux Chief Operating Officer

Travis leads the day-to-day operations at Solugen, focusing on safety, strategy, and growth. He brings a breadth of experience of greater than 20 years across specialty chemicals, asset management, and private equity, ensuring that we build a sustainable business in every sense of the word.

David Weiner VP of Technology

David leads R&D at Solugen, advancing our technology platform and turning big ideas into groundbreaking technology. Having spent the last 25 years on the cutting edge of biotechnology, he is the author of 24 peer-reviewed publications and coinventor of 44 issued US patents.

Awards

  • The World's Most Innovative Companies - Fast Company, 2022

    Annual ranking of businesses that are making an outsize impact. Solugen ranked #2 worldwide.

  • World Changing Ideas Awards - Fast Company, 2021

    Companies that have achieved incredible impact and have been in business under 4 years.

  • The Next Billion Dollar Start Ups - Forbes, 2020

    Annual list of the next generation or the VC-backed tech company.

  • Fast 100 & Innovation Awards - HBJ, 2019

    Houston's fastest-growing private companies.

  • 30 Under 30 - Forbes, 2017

    The most definitive gathering of today’s leading young change-makers and innovators in the U.S.

  • MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition - 2016

    Business plan competition for undergraduates and postgraduates from all programs and levels at MIT.