Founder Spotlight: Matt Gibson (New Culture)
Meet Matt Gibson:
New Culture is revolutionizing how cheese is made. We are forging a healthier, kinder, more sustainable food system. Using precision fermentation, we produce the dairy protein, casein - the hero ingredient that makes cheese cheesy - without any animal inputs. Thanks to our animal-free casein, animal-free cheese can finally have the melt, stretch and bubble we know and love. Now, with our groundbreaking science, any cheese is possible and can be made completely animal-free. The future of dairy is here - and it’s delicious.
Startup Stage:
Series A completed Nov 2021
Location:
San Leandro, California, USA
When did you launch the business?
2019
What led you to where you are today?
Born and raised in dairy-rich New Zealand, Matt became passionate about transforming the dairy industry when he started learning about its massive environmental, animal welfare, and human health impacts. After founding multiple start-ups in New Zealand, he moved to the Bay Area to launch New Culture as part of IndieBio, the world’s leading biotech start-up accelerator, with co-founder Inja Radman. He has a BSc from the University of Auckland in genetics and microbiology, completed a certificate in filmmaking from the New Zealand Film Academy, and is a licensed skydiver with 60+ jumps above him. He is also a budding banjo picker.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
- Be able to say what your company does in a sentence. When speaking about New Culture, I say "we make cow cheese without the cow," and if an investor doesn't understand that from the first 30 seconds, they will be disengaged for the entire pitch. - Use data combined with storytelling to make the most compelling pitch. Some of the best data is only worthwhile when presented with the right context. Find the balance of being data-driven whilst also hammering your narrative home. One can't go without the other for a successful pitch. - Ask very blunt questions to get to a yes or no answer. It is okay, and encouraged, to ask an investor "what else do you need from me to write a check?" Investors can drag things out and wait for other investors to make the first move. Don't let them. A quick no is far better than months of no firm answer.
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