Podcast #37 Kris Blanchard CEO and Co-Founder of Luyef Biotechnologies speaks to Andrew about developing high-quality, eco-friendly meat alternatives.
Big Idea Ventures has launched our very own podcast “The Big Idea Podcast: Food”. Each week Big Idea Ventures Founder Andrew D. Ive will speak with some of the most innovative minds in the food space and talk about the exciting projects they are a part of.
To listen to the episode click the links below!
Podcasts
- Sticher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-big-idea-food-podcast
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/57TBllxq5CjpdVzzhNGjBp?si=u0hbKJqVQqqpkmyAv28ETg&dl_branch=1&nd=1
- Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby90aGUtYmlnLWlkZWEtcG9kY2FzdC1mb29k
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-idea-podcast-food/id1564457496
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27M54KnscII
To learn more about Luyef Biotechnologies check out the links below!
Luyef: https://luyef.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luyef-biotechnologies/
Episode Transcript
Andrew D Ive
Welcome to the Big Idea podcast where we focus on food. I’m Andrew, I’m your host, and I’m the founder of Big Idea ventures. Today we’re going to be talking to Kris Blanchard. And Chris is the CEO and co founder of Luyef biotechnology is a company in Chile that’s initially focusing on improving the taste, and smell of plant based meats using new technologies, but is ultimately moving through to cell based meat, step three in their process, and it’s quite an aggressive plan of growth over the next few years. So let’s talk to Kris. Let’s understand what’s happening with Luyef Biotechnologies, L-U-Y-E-Y, Biotechnologies. And if you have any questions, please reach out to Luyef or to Kris or myself or put them in the comments box. Please do like and subscribe. Okay, on to today’s podcast. Thanks.
Hi, Kris, how are you?
Kris Blanchard
Hi, Andrew. I’m okay. And you?
Andrew D Ive
You keep saying okay. You know, I really want you to say you’re having an amazing time. By brilliant. Okay, is just sort of run of the mill anyway. Tell me what’s going on with Luyef and tell me about the company. What, what are you guys doing?
Kris Blanchard
Well, in the year for, basically, we are developing technology. So we are a food tech startup developing the technology basically to accelerate this transition towards a more sustainable, and hopefully animal free food industry. So we are focused on alternative proteins with a three phases risk decreasing strategy, focusing right now on improving the taste of plant based meat alternatives. And with a long term focus on industrializing the production of cultivated meat.
Andrew D Ive
Okay, so sustainable food tech, three stages to your approach. But the first step is improving the taste of plant based and the last step is moving to cultivated or cell based meat. So you’re not a cell based company, you’re not a plant based company. You’re sort of all of the above. Is that right?
Kris Blanchard
That’s, that’s correct. Yes, we are not 100% cultivated company, neither are plant based company, we are kind of targeting the main problems that the industry is facing, right, the alternative protein industry and we figured it out, that the best way in which we can go to market soon, is by improving the plant based and to capture the people. Meat eaters like me that doesn’t like current plant based alternatives, right? Mainly by improving the flavor the taste of plant based meat alternatives.
Andrew D Ive
Let’s so let’s focus let’s have us focus in terms of our conversation on that fat first step, and I hope we have time to get to the last step in terms of cell based meat. So first step, your problem is, as far as you’ve identified it the taste of plant based meats. And you guys want to solve that how are you? How are you tackling that problem?
Kris Blanchard
Yes, so we are using a procedure that is called or technique that is called precision fermentation. So we are using microorganisms to produce a protein that is called Maya Glavine, bovine myoglobin that provide the provides the taste, and also the color and the aroma of animal based meat or animal farming based meat. Yeah, so.
Andrew D Ive
So basically, so basically, from your point of view, that taste of current of traditional meat is that myoglobin, and you have and you’re working on a new way to create myoglobin. That doesn’t require sort of the, the the processing or the killing of traditional animals. It’s actually growing that myoglobin in a new way is that correct?
Kris Blanchard
Yes. So, we are using microorganism actually, we are using two types of microorganisms. By using some techniques of molecular biology we can improve for example, the process of production of this protein inside the cell in order to to the cells to secrete this protein, animal protein at To the cell media in order to capture the protein and to purify it and to have in the final step and nature identical protein or company, right, which in this case is a bovine myoglobin, which is the protein or the component that is providing this aroma, flavor and color to a farming base meet.
Andrew D Ive
Okay, so if I was a plant based manufacturer, how would I use your myoglobin grown through precision fermentation? Is it you know, a sprinkle of this, this stuff into a plant based product and that gives it the right aroma, the great the right taste, etc. How do people think about how should they think about using your product?
Kris Blanchard
Yes, so basically, our product is not only myoglobin, so it’s a formulation, which in this case, the key component is myoglobin. But the formulation, we call it tomme, okay, and tomme, tomme in Spanish, but in English stands for the authentic meat eating experience. And this can be added to, for example, a plant based burger in a concentration according to our measurements in between 0.5 and 1.5%. In mass to the plant based burgers in order to provide to the to the burger, the aroma and the taste of farming based meat.
Andrew D Ive
And you’ve said that the protein that you guys are growing is nature identical. So it’s, it’s that one to one and a half, or that half to one and a half percent that’s going to give that plant based burger the finishing touches to the taste and the and the smell experience of traditional meat is is would it still be considered plant based, wholly plant based? Or by this point? Is it a hybrid? And it’s no longer vegan or vegetarian?
Kris Blanchard
Yeah, that’s a really good question. I will say because, to be honest, I think to me, it’s a new type of product, right? It’s not for example, like the leg myoglobin from impossible, which is a kind of structural analogue of myoglobin, but is produced in in plants, right. So this product can be categorized as plant based, but in our case, we are producing the real animal protein without any animals, right. And then to add it to a plant based burger. So maybe could consider us a hybrid product,
Andrew D Ive
I think we need to have whoever it is, that is the sort of the arbiter of all things vegan and all things vegetarian to get involved in the discussion and help us make the call about whether this would as you’re not including animals? Well, let’s actually take a step back. If you’re not including animals, where are you getting the original cells from that are being used to grow? Aren’t you taking them from an animal?
Kris Blanchard
No, actually, what we the only thing that we need from the animal is the genetic sequence, right, the gene that encodes or qualify for this protein, right? So we actually don’t need to go to a cell and to take this gene. And to insert it into microorganism, what we do is that we can just order the gene, right? And then there are some companies that can create these gene, artificially, right? These are just a sequence of genetic material. And then you can insert this material inside the cells of the host, which is in this case, are microorganisms.
Andrew D Ive
So so no bite? Not even a biopsy?
Kris Blanchard
No, for no for the Yes. No, not at all. Not at all, for for the production of tomme of animal, this animal protein, myoglobin, we don’t need any biopsy at all.
Andrew D Ive
So no animal cells whatsoever. So I think I don’t know, I’m not the judge and jury of all things vegetarian and vegan, but if you don’t touch an animal, if you’re not taking cells from an animal to create this, then I don’t think how it could possibly be anything but vegan or vegetarian. And I know that’s not necessarily the goal. The goal is to create food that has is much more sustainable and gives people the same experience. But yeah, I’m not seeing this as a as a as a hybrid even. But, you know, let’s see what people listening today. Think about that is this. So the question is for everyone is, if no animals are touched or involved in this process, apart from knowing what the gene sequence is which is work that’s already been done? Is there? Is this vegan vegetarian, hybrid? Animal based? How does everyone think about this, it’d be good to get any feedback that people have. So So getting back to it, you’ve got this ingredient. myoglobin, you guys are using it as a as an addition or an ingredient to plant base to make it better taste better fragrance, more, more like the traditional product is this, we’re going to require some form of approval as an ink so that you can use it as an ingredient in animal in human based foods.
Kris Blanchard
Yes, yeah, that’s correct. So, in the US, for example, we will need to file an grants notification, right. So we are working on it. And here in Chile, we are also working in the process for the regulatory framework, not only for the, for this recombinant protein that is real animal protein nature, identical but animal free, but also for cultivated meat. So the idea is that once we are ready or kind of ready with the next phases, we will we will already be in conditions of producing and selling cultivated meat here in the country and to position Chile as one of the leaders in the in the world.
Andrew D Ive
So Chile is likely to approve this ingredient as fit for human consumption before the United States as far as you’re concerned. Um,
Kris Blanchard
for the United States, there are some competitors that are they have some kind of similar approach, which includes the production of this protein, myoglobin, and they already have some grass notification. So the the issue will be easy in the United States, I will say because they already have some kind of knowledge regarding this protein. Right. The only difficulty that we see, but we I think that we have some advantages is that the the purification of the protein in order to be sure that you don’t have any contamination from the host, this is something that might be problematic. But our strategy in terms of technology is basically to decrease the cost of the production by secreting the protein to the media in such a way that is much more easy to collect a protein and together 100% Purity manual loving products. So getting rid of these problems, regulatory or potential regulatory problems.
Andrew D Ive
Okay, so when do you anticipate Chile and maybe even the United States from your point of view, so specifically, Luyef, will get the required approval so that you can actually start using this product? on a on a day to day basis?
Kris Blanchard
Yes, well, the idea is to do it during this year, hopefully, we will be in conditions to put a product in the market by the end of the year, via one of our partners, which in this case, is a company, traditional meat company that is innovating also in the field of plant based so basically we are improving their plant based by using our atomic or by adding our atomic to their composition, right to their composition. So, so far, I’ve been working on this and we figured it out and we realized that they they will get some benefit from from this in the sense that they will need to remove kind of 20% of the already ingredients that they used to mimic a meat so they will decrease the cost and they will add our tomme so we are adding like two kinds of values to plant based companies right one providing the real taste of meat, the aroma and the color and also decreasing the amount of components that they should add to their plant based decreasing. Decreasing yes so for example
Andrew D Ive
right now they’re they’re trying to hit that taste target using multiple ingredients, some of which are not necessarily natural, ie they’re more sort of chemical than they are natural. In your case you can provide the the taste and the smell, using one ingredient which is nature, identical and is considered, you know, a sort of simpler, more natural product.
Kris Blanchard
Exactly this is nature identical. And we have been consuming this protein since the humanities a humanity, right. So, children be any problem with this.
Andrew D Ive
So I’ve got two sort of follow up questions. One is, in terms of the myoglobin that you guys are producing, is it relevant to a specific meat type? Is this predominantly beef? Is this predominantly pork? Is it predominantly some some? Is it a red meat in particular? Or is it across different meat categories?
Kris Blanchard
Yeah, it’s mainly for red meat, right, because this is the the, the target, right the target in terms of commercial impact. And also in terms of technology, because we see more opportunities in providing the color, for example, other types of types of meat are not really red, right? They’re not red meat, so doesn’t make too much sense to work on on this project for them. Actually, I just got a meeting with another company here in Chile, for this traditional meat company that is producing chicken, but we are collaborating with them, or we will not in the in the tummy or in improving the flavor of their plant base, but probably in producing really real hybrid products, but cultivated meat plant based
Andrew D Ive
got it understood. From a commercial viability perspective, by the end of this year, you’ll have ideally, the regulatory environment and Chile potentially even from a US perspective, that grace approval. What about from a scale a scale perspective? So it’s one thing to know that you can do it from a proof of concept, but when are you how are you thinking about scaling this up, so that you actually have an ingredient that you can sell to as many of the plant based companies out there who want a beef plant based a better per beef plant based product? How are you how are you going to scale up this technology?
Kris Blanchard
Yes, so basically, this technology is not super new is precision fermentation, we have been doing this for decades. And the novelty is not in the process, process. But in the in the microorganism and the molecular biology that we are inserting in the microorganism is a magic. But the other processes, they are standard processes. And they we have we have for example, contractors that are we talking with, in order to to for example, send them our microorganism, and then they can produce and scale this up. And then we can just continue with our phases, right in order to reach our mission. This is this is the plan. So we are producing right now, right now at the lab scale. By the end of the year, hopefully we will be in conditions to producing a pilot scale. And next year in an industrial scale, so this is not a problem. It’s absolutely doable. The technology’s proven. So not a problem is that actually is the way in which we have identify all the best way in order to go to market soon, and to make a real proof of concept in a commercial environment in a real commercial context, right, with a product that can add some value and can be highly competitive.
Andrew D Ive
So for those listening, we’re talking about this year, and next year, if you’re listening after today, tomorrow, in the next week or two. We’re currently in February 2022. So when when Chris talks about this year, he’s going to get regulatory approval, you know, fingers crossed, if everything goes well, we’re talking about regulatory approval, 2022 and pilot scale 2022 2023 would be industrial scale with partners. From a partner perspective. Have you already started to think about and have discussions with potential partners because, you know, one of the things we spend a lot of time on with our portfolio companies is, you know, you don’t have to do everything alone. You can find great partners throughout the corporate environment who are excited about these innovations, and we’ll want to potentially partner with you, how are you guys thinking about that partnership piece? Because you know, I don’t think you’re you want to raise $50 million tomorrow, and set up your own space. You know, manufacturing facility or? Or maybe you do but you know, let’s talk about partners for a second.
Kris Blanchard
Yes, sure. So yeah, we have been talking with potential partners for the scaling production of our tam ingredient or tama formulation. I’m not really sure if I can name them, but they are in Chile, in Argentina, as well, and potentially in Europe and in the US. So we have possibilities. And we just need to figure it out the best fit, right? So we have been having these conversations with partners, and we’re really sure that we’ll have to do everything we plan to produce our facility here, but this will be a pilot facility, laboratory right, at the same time that can help us with the other faces, but the facility for industrial scale, we have no expertise on this matter. And there are people that is their expert on this matter, and we can just make an agreement right.
Andrew D Ive
Perfect. Now I know that we talked about there being three phases to Luyef. The first being the the the ingredient side for plant based and the last being cell based, I kind of get the feeling that just in terms of the first area of focus I the the ingredient piece, it’s going to be incredibly common, it’s going to be an incredibly interesting and complicated piece. It’s a business in and of itself, before we even start thinking about cell based etc. How are you thinking about those steps? Will you need to deliver on the first area of focus before you can make any steps towards the second and the third? Or you’re trying to run some of these things in parallel?
Kris Blanchard
Good question. So yes, right now we are working in, we are working in the phase one, we are focused on the Phase One in the production of tomme. But we are also working a little bit in the phase two, not yet in the phase three, I will I will let you know what it’s about the phase three. But the phase two is basically to use a new type of scaffoldings. That are like I’ll give a test. And we are using a Chilean algea that is called Kota uu. And we have a button for this as a possible scaffolding for cultured meat production in order to go to market with an IV product that can be affordable and have some properties that are better than Korean palm based even been based with our tomme right. And the typical or conventional meat in terms of nutritional aspects. For example, we can add some fiber and other components because this macro algae that we are using is considered here as a superfood, and it’s part of our culture culture. So should be easy will be easy to enter the market here in dealing with this product, and to show to the to the world that we have a technology that can really accelerate the commercialization and the scaling of cultivated meat. This is the idea. So we’re working in both, but mainly focused on Tammy, and actually using Tammy because myoglobin is not only a protein that provides the color, the taste and the aroma, but it’s also a signaling molecule. So if you add myoglobin to muscle cells that are growing in a culture, you can increase the proliferation rate and you can increase the the condition the good conditions for this a culture to thrive.
Andrew D Ive
So for those who don’t, and I don’t mean to sort of dial you back just a second because you you covered a lot of things. For those that don’t know cultured meat or cell based meat. How are you? How do you typically mean scaffolding, I want to make sure that people are on the same sort of page around you’re talking about using a micro algae that’s a superfood in in Chile as a scaffolding for for cultured or cell based meat. Could you just explain that a little bit for people
Kris Blanchard
just Sure. So, basically, every tissue in a living organism right a tissue is many layers of cells right? They need to have some structure support a structural support in order to grow and this is called extracellular matrix okay matrix in biology. So, for producing a tissue in the lab, we need to provide this structure this supportive structure, which is called scaffolding. So We have possibilities options for, for example, for tissue engineering and biomedicine. But these are super expensive. So for coated meat we need or do you need to create or to produce a type of scaffolding that hopefully can add some value as a food product, right and can also have the right properties for producing a muscle tissue. So this is the scaffolding, it’s like the support the structural support the physical support for the cells to grow and to thrive, thrive.
Andrew D Ive
So that natural matrix that you use to build the cells around to create the final piece of meat you guys have come up with and they’ve got patents around or patents patents pending around using a kind of a local superfood as that matrix, correct? Yes,
Kris Blanchard
exactly. But it’s not a micro algae. But it’s a macro on the Mac, right? Is your macro is a brown micro algae is like, it’s delicious. Actually, I love
Andrew D Ive
- So, and this is probably for my benefit. Now, what’s the difference between micro and macro algae? And if you say yes, one centimeter I’m going to laugh, but what’s the difference between a micro and macro algae?
Kris Blanchard
Basically, micro will be anything that is multicellular, right? Mike microalgae, he is unicellular organism. Right?
Andrew D Ive
Oh versus multiple cell? Yeah. Got it. That’s amazing. And you’re using that you’re working on that technology at the same time as working on the tamme from, from Mike myoglobin perspective.
Kris Blanchard
Yes, and the plan for early this year may may probably in March of or April will be to use the production and the lab scale that we are providing of myoglobin to induce some changes in the cultures with our scaffolding, right. So so kind of testing in house, how or how much potential myoglobin has as a single molecule in addition to the organoleptic properties for cultivated me
Andrew D Ive
when I’m what’s your current expected timings? And obviously, things can change your current expected timings for the scaffolding piece of this I staged to four
Kris Blanchard
years. Yeah, so the idea is, as I mentioned, to go to market by the end of this year with the tamme and also to do kind of art tasting event, like the big idea venture tasting event, but with damage, and also to show that we have this technology, this hybrid products, right to show to the world and we can really make an affordable quality remote product that is hybrid in its nature, right?
Andrew D Ive
So we so we’ve got very, very quickly into the the product and the technology and the timings and all those sorts of things. And I really do appreciate you, you taking us through that. We haven’t spent any time at all talking about how the company got started and who the team are. And those sort of more sort of entrepreneurial questions, but Luyef right now, who started the company and what’s what’s the kind of bait I think you kind of covered mission to some degree, but who started the company and what how long have you been going and so on?
Kris Blanchard
Yeah, so I started the company, and I found my co founders just after defending my PhD. So just to put you in context, I did my PhD in cultural turmoil it between the University of Chile and the university Valley de Gaff in Paris. So this PhD is in cellular molecular biology and the PC policies in neuroscience, right. So I was performing very sophisticated electrophysiology experiments, synaptic physiology, and I was really happy, happy and that time, but my daughter was born during the last year of my PhD in Paris, and something changed. Like something was triggering my mind like, you cannot be so selfish, a selfish a grace, you should do something for the future of your daughter, you have the tools you are an electrophysiologist and you need to find a problem that you can solve and to find people that can help you in this in this goal, right so I decided to To find a problem, I realized that meat consumption is really a mess in a lot with the environment. And we need to solve this. So yes, I thought in creating a company, we didn’t have any name at that point, of course. But we can produce a cultivated meat, basically, because muscle cells are excitable cells. And I’m an electrophysiologist. So I know how excitable cells work. And this is how I designed myself. And they found the Andrea, she’s the CTO of Luyef. And we, we are classmate, we were classmates in the engineering school and within the same PhD, so we share a lot of values related to the future, right? The vision for the future. So yes, she is the main partner in terms of science. So she’s in charge of the scientific part. And then we realize, of course, that we needed a business person because I’m not a business person. I’m learning right. But my background is in engineering science, and I try to convince people, but so we needed a business person. So we, we did some research, and we found Pamela and she services engineering from the from the same university, which is the best university here in the country. And so right now, we are trigger founders, we have another co founder, which is Dr. Maria Sala Gutierrez, but she’s mainly focused in the scientific part, and basic research or fundamental research. So not spending too much time for the company, but doing a lot of specific work, for Luyef So this is how Luyef was created. And our mission, as I mentioned, is basically to really accelerate this transition, because I really want to have a future a better future for for my daughter and for the next generations. Right. So and we’re missing a lot with the with the environment. So and with animals as well, I kind of create this empathy, right? I think that after being a dad, my empathy, empathy, role, like, you know, tripled in size. Yeah,
Andrew D Ive
I experienced the same thing. It probably took me it wasn’t as instantaneous as soon as they were born. But it certainly, as I started to sort of look through their eyes and also consider how they would see what we did. They would look at what we did in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years time, and would they be critical of how we treated our planet and left and the legacy we were giving them? Or would they be complimentary? And I’m not sure I necessarily want their their compliments, but I do want them to have a better life and a good life. Not a scarier, more challenging life than we had. So just going back to the team, there’s Dr. Andrea Villanova. Obviously, she’s the She’s a PhD as well. She’s focused on her PhD was in cellular and molecular biology. Then there’s Pamela, who Pamela Barroso, who is the Chief Business Officer, and she’s focused on customer experience, you know, turning this science into, you know, working with you and and the rest of your team on turning the science into a real business. And then yourself and your and you’ve got, is it one PhD? Or does it end up being two PhDs? Because you did it in multiple places?
Kris Blanchard
Yes, it’s two PhDs, I can say that they have two PhDs.
Andrew D Ive
My goodness, I often talk to Ryan, about what, you know, the what companies like yours need. And he often says, you know, we need a PhD and the science officer role to ultimately as a company grows, and you’ve got to so you know, you’ve probably got one to spare, which is nice. In terms of moving the company forward as a team. I wonder if you’ve experienced any challenges since you started the company, anything that was either a surprise, or just a major challenge that you guys had to as a team solve? Maybe you’re going through through one right now? I don’t know.
Kris Blanchard
Yes, yes, of course, we are. The challenge right now is the funding round. So we are raising capital, right? So we are in our seed round. So this is challenging enough for every of every person of the team. But I think that this so far, it’s been quite normal for for us. I think that this is something good about the PhD that you suffer so much. that you are kind of okay. This is a typical day, you know? Yeah. So yes.
Andrew D Ive
So typical growing pains of a young company. What what, if anyone listening has an interest in what you’re doing? And I’m sure a lot of people do, because it’s actually pretty interesting stuff. What kind of help? And it could be anything finding find funding, it could be recruitment, it could be corporate partnerships, from your point of view, what’s, what’s important right now? What kind of help Are you looking for? And if anyone’s listening, if they have the ability to help you with something, what would those things be?
Kris Blanchard
Yes. So right now, we, of course, are looking for investors for the money and also investors that can provide some value to the company in the sense that they have a bigger view about the industry round that right that they can put into our business model to the and to accelerate or to facilitate our development. So yeah, if this is anybody in the audience that is willing to invest in us and have these tools for making Luyef much better than right now, please give me a call or just reach me via my email is in the in the website, luyef.com. And also, we are trying to create this regulatory framework framework, right. So for example, we are working with the also with some advisors, we have the honor to have Dr. Kaji from shark meat from Singapore. And she will also help us a little bit with the regulatory framework framework for producing and selling cultivating meat. So this is something that we also need some help, because this is a very dynamic and emerging industries. So we need feedback, we need feedback from every country that is trying to do the same, right. So in Chile, we have quite a good environment for startup. But of course, we we are kind of delayed related to development countries. So any any support in this matter, of course will be appreciated.
Andrew D Ive
Perfect. You mentioned investment. Is your parent company. Based in Chile, I know you are based in Chile, but would they be investing in a Chilean based company? Would they be? Did you guys set up an American parent to access American investors? How have you structured that? Because some people may may be very comfortable making investments in Chile In Chile and based companies others because it might be new, may not be as comfortable. What How did you structure that?
Kris Blanchard
Yes. So yes, we basically we have the parent company in the US. So this is Luyef Biotechnology, by using all this and is a C Corp in Delaware, which is the holding company. And it was basically created to facilitate this right to facilitate the investment in us because, as you mentioned, many, many people will be familiar with the legal structure in South America, and particularly in Chile. But they are much more used to it much. And they feel much more comfortable with investing in in a C Corp. Right? That is in the US. And this is also a strategic in in the sense of business right in the future, so we can establish their facility, this is this possibility, and to grow there as well. Yeah. So the parent company is in the US,
Andrew D Ive
on say, really interesting that you structured it that way. I’ve seen companies do that do exactly what you’ve just outlined. So if you’re an entrepreneur, and you’re listening to this, Kris, there’s some lessons here for you that Kris is I’m going to sneeze right now. I’m going to try and mute it. Excuse me, oh, my goodness. I’ll try and take that out later. Excuse me. What I was saying was, if you’re an entrepreneur, and you’re listening to this, you know, Kris, there’s a lesson there for you. If you’re, you know, wherever you think your main investors are going to potentially come from. Most investors like to invest in their own in companies within their own market. So if you think most of your investors are going to come from Europe, then you should have a European based company if you think most of your investors are going to come from North America. You might need a North American parent or South America or you know, wherever you think your investors are going to come from. Worth worth considering as you’re setting up your company. One other thing to take into consideration is If you think some of your money is going to come from government based grants, then you also need to take that into consideration because they typically only give government grants to companies that are within their country. So if you think private investors are a key source of capital, that’s one consideration. If you think grants, for example, are another source, you know, you need to consider that as well. Okay. So Kris, thank you so much. If somebody wants to get hold of you, you mentioned Luyef. So Luyef.com ? Are you guys? Are you guys on any other platforms like LinkedIn, or Instagram or any of those sorts of places?
Unknown Speaker
Yes, we are on LinkedIn. And we prefer to be reached by LinkedIn, because we need to work a little bit in the Instagram and the social media, right? So yes, you can just search Luyef, or just my name. I’m Kris, Blanchard. So yes, but I think that all the information is in the webpage on the webpage. So you can go to the luyef.com. And you can find actually, my, my address, email, email address, and also my cell phone. So if you think that you, you have something good to tell me. And good enough, just give me a call directly.
Andrew D Ive
I’m not seeing your I’m not seeing your email address, or, or your phone number on your website. Not at all, really just your name. There’s no links to LinkedIn, nothing like that. And also, on the bottom, where it has big idea ventures and other partners, no links, that people can click through to those places, either. So yeah, none, none of that information.
Kris Blanchard
Okay. So I will add it. I didn’t know that I thought that it was there. So yes, I will. I will check it again.
Andrew D Ive
But if you go to LinkedIn, and type in Luyef. And I’m just going to double check to make sure so that people aren’t frustrated. LUYEF,
Kris Blanchard
lightly,
Andrew D Ive
lighting all of this comes up instantly. You’ve got a lot of followers, it says you’re in Santiago. Yeah, you’ve got loads of followers. My goodness, you guys are super popular. Okay, so you can reach you via via LinkedIn. So there you go. And Kris Blanchard. For people listening is K-R-I-S B-L-A-N-C-H-A-R-D. So perfect. Any last questions or things to add? Kris, before we let people go?
Unknown Speaker
No, no, just to thank you for your time for this podcast. I’m really happy to show to the people what we are doing in Luyef what we are building at Luyef F. And to just to let the people know that we are very passionate about what we are doing. I love science, we love to work in the future. And this is given a lot of sense to our lives. We know that it’s hard. But we are we love to working hard things even if we get some failures, sometimes, right? They were just do
Andrew D Ive
Well, thank you. Thank you, Kris. I love what you’re doing really inspirational. Say hi to the rest of the team. From big idea ventures. We miss you guys. And that’s it. We’ll finish today’s podcast. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll just press pause. And then I’ll just come back and say goodbye to you. Give me up give me one moment. So thanks for coming along to today’s podcast with Khris Blanchard. From Luyef again, this is Andrew D Ive from Big Idea ventures. And this is the big idea podcast where we focus on food. If you’d like to reach out to us, you can find big idea ventures via Big Idea ventures.com. We’re also on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and other places. So love to engage with you. We’ve got lots of different podcasts like this lots of information around how to get started in your company how to grow great businesses that are going to change the world. And that’s the mission, helping the world to be a better, stronger place. more sustainable. Okay, everyone. Thanks very much. Look forward to speaking to you next week. Bye bye