Scaling green: Opening new markets for sustainable biotechnology

Thanks to the Social Impact Internship Fund (SIIF) through the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business’ Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise (CSGE), second-year MBA students Philip Spencer, Raphael Genova, and Sarah Callaghan completed summer internships at Zymtronix, an early-stage industrial biotechnology startup originating from Cornell University. The company developed proprietary enzyme technologies and cell-free biological manufacturing platforms that help industries reduce their environmental footprint.

Breaking into biotech: Starting at Zymtronix

Callaghan: Beginning my role as a business development intern, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I discovered was a company that stands out in the biotechnology landscape for their innovative approach. Their cell-free biomanufacturing can reduce water, chemical, and energy usage whilst minimizing waste production.

Spencer: Prior to my business education at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, I developed advanced academic and industry experience in life sciences and human health. However, I was driven to broaden my management skill set and look beyond the toolkit of medical research and intervention to make a positive impact on the welfare of both people and the environment. Working with Zymtronix provided a fitting avenue to apply new skills in strategy, marketing and entrepreneurship in the intersection of business and sustainability.

Mapping new territory: Market expansion strategy

Genova: As part of my role in business development and strategy, I needed to understand the technology, recognize how the agriculture market works in different geographies and learn the legal aspects of commercializing the products. All of these were essential for an implementable strategic recommendation. Since market data was limited, the best insights came through expert interviews. I conducted numerous interviews with experts from all parts of the value chain across industries. These insights were key to understanding details not available online and were critical for developing business strategy.

Callaghan: My primary responsibility was creating a comprehensive strategy for expanding Zymtronix’s sustainable crop protection products into new international markets. I spent considerable time analyzing complex market structures, regulatory frameworks and policy environments across target regions. Yet, the most strategic aspect of my internship was crafting comprehensive go-to-market frameworks tailored to different regional contexts. This involved analyzing distribution channels, identifying key stakeholders and developing market entry strategies that could adapt to local agricultural practices and regulatory requirements.

Spencer: As a business development and strategy intern, I expanded on Zymtronix’s strategic approach for the U.S. with a detailed business plan for the company’s agriculture-focused product candidates in Europe. I immersed myself in the company’s product portfolio and established commercial progress, engaging across functions with product development, regulatory and commercial leadership to understand the key features of the company’s technologies and the work already done to market and protect them in the U.S. Honing in on a small subset of target countries, I investigated the sources of influence, economic pressures, policy environments and other driving factors that would open opportunities for Zymtronix.

Strategic implementation: From analysis to action

Callaghan: The second half of my internship focused on translating research insights into actionable expansion strategies. I created assessment matrices evaluating market attractiveness, regulatory complexity and commercial viability across target regions for sustainable crop protection solutions and developed guides outlining regulatory approval processes, documentation requirements and timeline expectations for bringing Zymtronix’s crop protection products to new markets.

Spencer: My work culminated in presenting a go-to-market (GTM) strategy in which I, in collaboration with my fellow interns, wove a comprehensive story of how Zymtronix could pursue the most compelling opportunities to create and capture additional value in European markets. We linked the company’s unique biopesticide solutions to distinct customer-driven value propositions and established key tactical elements of their European business model — critical partnerships; channels and customer acquisition approaches; regulatory approval strategies; and cost structures.

Reflection and looking ahead

Genova: Coming from a technical career in a different industry, this internship was a great opportunity to develop new skills. Finding and interviewing people was not something I was accustomed to, and I learned how much crucial information is not readily available online. I saw how small changes in legislation can reshape strategy and results, and I learned how to plan for that uncertainty. Not only did the experience make me more confident working across science, markets and regulation, but I also became better at turning complex details into simple choices; asking clear questions; and mapping next steps. Most of all, it confirmed my interest in building solutions that join real impact with strong business value.

Spencer: My summer with Zymtronix pushed me beyond my professional comfort zone into a novel learning experience. Having never worked for a startup before, I experienced access to company leadership, learning from their vast industry knowledge, technical fluency and strategic decisiveness. I relished the sense of personal responsibility that came with the startup working environment at Zymtronix — a sense that every single person was making a unique and crucial contribution to the momentum of the whole company. At the same time, collaboration was essential to the success of the project. I am grateful for the support of the SIIF and transformative collaboration with the team at Zymtronix this summer.

Callaghan: My summer at Zymtronix taught me that successful market expansion in the agricultural biotechnology space requires a fundamentally different approach than traditional corporate development. It’s not enough to identify profitable opportunities — you must also consider regulatory complexity, local agricultural practices and environmental impact. This internship reinforced my belief that biotechnology will play a central role in addressing climate change and environmental degradation. As I returned to the Johnson School for my final year, I was ready to apply these insights to future projects and perhaps even explore how other companies can learn from Zymtronix’s model of sustainable innovation.

About the authors

Sarah Callaghan is a Sustainable Business Fellow with a background in law and policy. Originally from Scotland, she worked in the UK Parliament on economic and net-zero policy and in Brussels on financial services policy. Her internship at Zymtronix marked her first deep dive into the biotechnology sector, where she discovered a passion for sustainable business development. With her blend of legal, policy and business expertise, she is committed to advancing sustainable business solutions that drive impact and value.

Philip Spencer earned degrees in microbiology and human physiology before coming to Johnson, conducting primary research on soil microbiomes and specializing in the physiology of nutrition. He then worked in clinical research for the National Institutes of Health, where he led teams working on HIV, COVID-19 and cancer research. At Johnson, he is focusing on strategy, sustainable business and green technology and is interested in delivering better health, well-being and environmental stewardship through food.

Raphael Genova has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a background in the investment management and artificial intelligence software sectors in São Paulo, Brazil. At Johnson, Genova is expanding his business expertise and exploring sustainable business. His internship with Zymtronix introduced him to the intersection of environmental stewardship and the biotechnology industry.