GOZEN Welcomes Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki as Chief Product Officer

Renowned sustainability expert joins startup to scale and drive commercialization of Plastic-Free, Animal-Free LUNAFORM

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — GOZEN, the pioneering San Francisco-based biomaterials startup, proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki as its new Chief Product Officer. This strategic addition signals a new chapter in GOZEN’s journey towards revolutionizing next-generation material production. Dr. Aki’s extensive experience and unwavering dedication to a sustainable future position her as a valuable asset to the GOZEN team.

Dr. Aki joins GOZEN with an illustrious background in sustainability and textile innovation spanning more than 20 years. Her previous tenure as the Director of Product Development & Research at a leading denim brand, ORTA, involved effectively creating and leading business in denim products, managing a $130M P&L .Prior to her role at ORTA, Dr. Aki served as the General Manager at BOSSA, a well-known textile company with a market cap of more than $200M.

At GOZEN, Dr. Aki will lead the development and commercialization of LUNAFORM, a novel next-gen material that is unique in being both plastic-free and animal-free with high performance. LUNAFORM combines nature’s brilliance with advanced scientific processes, where microorganisms in a nutrient-rich environment form ultra-crystalline patterns. This revolutionary bio-based material, derived from the by-products of microorganisms’ activity, is vegan, non-GMO, and embodies a new era of eco-conscious material science.

GOZEN recently debuted LUNAFORM in partnership with Balenciaga at Paris Fashion Week last year. Both parties earned the Most Innovative Partnership award at the 2023 PETA Fashion Awards.

“Dr. Aki’s extensive experience and forward-thinking approach in sustainable product development align seamlessly with GOZEN’s vision of pioneering high-performance next-gen materials. Her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and lead the way in next-gen biomaterials with LUNAFORM and beyond,” said Ece Gozen, CEO of GOZEN.

Dr. Aki’s appointment underscores GOZEN’s ambition to lead the way in high-performance, plastic-free next-gen material innovation. Her leadership is expected to significantly contribute to the scaling company’s production and develop and launch products to reinforce its status as a trailblazer in eco-conscious material development.

Expressing her enthusiasm about the new role, Dr. Aki stated, “I am thrilled to join GOZEN as the Chief Product Officer and contribute to the development of this biocreation platform that can shape an ecologically resilient future. GOZEN’s commitment resonates strongly with my own values, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at GOZEN to create a positive impact on a global scale.” 

About GOZEN:
GOZEN is a biocreation startup founded by Ece Gozen. GOZEN’s mission is to reshape how we interact with the world around us, advocating for natural connection and a balance between creative expression and the sanctity of our planet. GOZEN’s timeless process combines the ancient practices of harnessing naturally occurring processes with cutting-edge technology. This transforms organic elements into applied innovation – like their debut material, LUNAFORM. GOZEN is backed by Happiness Capital, Accelr8, and SOSV.

Press Contact:
Laura Ledesma
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SOURCE GOZEN