190. Pour Some Sugar on Yeast: Lisa Roessler Scales Biology at Amyris

<p>Lisa Ressler has spent more than 35 years working in science-based businesses, including DuPont and Evonik, and now serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Amyris. In this conversation, she joins Karl and Erum to discuss where Amyris stands today, what the company learned from Chapter 11, and why returning its focus to B2B science was the right move. Lisa explains the company’s 1.5 million-liter fermentation facility in Barra Bonita, Brazil, its partnership with Wacker to develop bio-based personal care ingredients, and the simple framework she uses to decide which markets are worth pursuing. She also shares what it takes for a bio-based ingredient to move beyond higher “green” pricing and reach large-scale commercial use, making the case that strong performance is ultimately what convinces customers.</p><p>Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?</p><p>Learn more at <a href="http://www.messaginglab.com/groweverything" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><strong>Chapters:</strong></p><ul><li>(00:00:00) - Introduction and catching up after the Fourth of July</li><li>(00:05:00) - Soil health, regenerative agriculture, and current biotech trends</li><li>(00:10:00) - Biomanufacturing in China and the global race for scale and speed</li><li>(00:15:00) - Meet Lisa Ressler, Chief Commercial Officer at Amyris</li><li>(00:19:00) - What Amyris produces and how it works with partners across the supply chain</li><li>(00:24:00) - Amyris’s return to B2B and what enterprise customers want after Chapter 11</li><li>(00:31:00) - How Amyris and Wacker collaborate from research through development</li><li>(00:37:00) - Proprietary molecules and how Amyris chooses which markets to pursue</li><li>(00:41:00) - Exploring Amyris’s molecule portfolio, from squalane to vaccines</li><li>(00:48:00) - The future of precision fermentation and quick-fire questions</li></ul><p><strong>Links and Resources:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://amyris.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amyris</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-roessler-4287ba4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lisa Roessler</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amyris.com/markets/squalane" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amyris&#39; sustainable squalene</a></li><li><a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amyris-inc-launches-new-production-line-at-brazil-precision-fermentation-plant-302708642.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amyris, Inc. Launches New Production Line at Brazil Precision Fermentation Plant</a></li><li><a href="https://www.wacker.com/cms/en-us/press-and-media/press/press-releases/2026/press-releases-detail-2026-311872.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WACKER and biomanufacturing pioneer Amyris join forces in the personal-care sector</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3lXjXOgb1EWcJnVszPmbfe?si=J12x3UWpRYKCP_-fTj5G9A" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">179. D.C. Climate Week LIVE: The Road to Remake Everything</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5DBp6H4Du2HXHhSh1I4wCV?si=VQDN2fRNQ1Cobu25dtN7Ng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">183. The American Biotech Blueprint: Senator Todd Young on Biodiversity as National Security</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DJbzd3D8Yzl8dm3kXiyqY?si=ENWe6B7SS1ur_eOx9pZUvA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">73. At the Bleeding Edge: Cresilon&#39;s Joe Landolina on Rapid Wound Care</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mBinNxId8Wz6DqWwefR3p?si=lnJcNOwoSiG4h77ZOl04aQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">141. Gut Check! Viome’s Momo &amp;