Grown Against
the Grain

About Us

Forager emerged from cutting edge research into mycelium materials, and in response to the pressing need for circularity in the fashion, apparel and automotive industries. Drawing from Ecovative’s Mycelium Foundry and AirMycelium production platform, we are working with industry leading brands and product designers to reimagine the way we make things. Watch this space for the next chapter in biomaterials and sustainable industry.

Milestones

2022

Forager™ hides and foams officially launch, together with Ecovative’s Fashion for Good Cooperative and a raft of high profile brand partnerships in the fashion, footwear, and automotive industries.

2021

Ecovative raise 60 million in series D funding to advance its business plan and continue refining technology for market-ready mycelium alternatives for leather hides and plastic foams.

2020

As the company grows, so does the scale, and by this point Forager and our parent company Ecovative are operating the largest mycelium farm on Earth.

2019

Ecovative’s Mycelium Foundry opens, offering fast, high-throughput research and experimentation into new mycelium strains and materials to support market exploration in apparel, footwear, beauty, food, and beyond.

2018

The first unveiling of the MyOMy mycelium leather handbag prototype shows the first real-world test of mycelium as a leather alternative in fashion, with an attractive bag that withstood wear, water, and stains, while remaining fashionable and functional.

2017

Clothing company Bolt Threads licenses 1st-generation AirMycelium Technology for leather-like materials. Today, they have a non-exclusive license to our first generation textile IP, which remains the foundation of their mycelium materials.

2015

Exploration of biopolymers leads to the launch of the AirMycelium technology, which allows for the commercial production of 100% pure mycelium at industrial scale, for uses including leather-like products and high performance foams.

2013

Research begins into mycelium biopolymer exploration, to determine the different types of materials and qualities that can be produced with pure mycelium, directly leading to new categories of leather-like hides, proteins, and foams.

2012

Ecovative CEO Eben Bayer provides the opening keynote at the UN Climate summit, focused on the role of adaptation in Nature and the urgent potential for humanity to adapt our material needs with the Earth through biotechnology.

2011

Ecovative enters a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop compostable, mycelium-based foams for the footwear industry, inspiring the first experiments with pure mycelium material.

Meet Ecovative

Picture of Eben Bayer
Picture of Gavin McIntyre
Picture of Patricia Strickland
Picture of Peter Mueller
Picture of Debra Antonelli
Picture of Tom Masterson
Picture of Dr. Conny Wittke
Picture of Meghan Olson
Picture of Melanie Murray
Picture of Katherine Reeder

CEO, Co-Founder

(Ecovative Founder)

Eben Bayer co-founded Ecovative and invented the category of mycelium biomaterials. He now leads our company in growing high-performance, award-winning products that are certified safe, healthy, and sustainable.
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Chief Commercial Officer, Co-Founder

(Ecovative Founder)

Gavin McIntyre co-founded Ecovative to solve the most pressing environmental challenges through biology. He oversees research and development of the company’s products and commercial partnerships.
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Chief Financial Officer

(Former Ceralink CEO)

Patricia Strickland brings over 27 years of operational and financial management experience in technology companies, while embracing big picture perspectives and long-term planning to drive profit and growth.

Chief Technology Officer

(Former Velcro)

Peter Mueller works with the executive team to formulate and communicate a research and technology strategy that is responsive to business needs, as well as strongly aligned with the unique strengths of the organization.
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Chief People Officer

(25+ Years HR)

Debra creates and leads Human Resources initiatives fostering an employee-oriented, high caliber company culture that prioritizes initiative, empowerment, quality, productivity, and goal attainment to recruit and develop a superior workforce.
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General Counsel

(Former SI Group SVP)

Tom Masterson is a solutions-oriented business lawyer who has spent his career counseling companies on growth in highly regulated industries. A graduate of Cornell Law School, Tom is a member of the state bar associations of New York and Texas.
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President

(Former Tweezerman)

Dr. Wittke has been an integral advisor to Ecovative for years, and joins Forager as President. With a rich background that includes leading Tweezerman International and McKinsey & Company her strategic skills in multiple categories underscore her capacity to blend visionary leadership with practical execution.
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Director of Commercialization

(Former GE)

As Director of Commercialization at Ecovative, Meghan champions the growth and innovation of the Forager division, steering the company towards global impact through strategic sales, partnerships, and licensing.
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Commercial Sales Lead

As Ecovative’s Commercial Sales Lead, Melanie Murray is focused on developing new partnerships and driving commercial adoption of Forager’s materials in fashion, automotive, furniture, and home goods.
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Textile Designer + Partner Specialist

Katherine is a textile designer at the intersection of biology, technology, and design, bringing her expertise and craft with both traditional and biomaterials to Forager. Working directly with Ecovative's partners, such as ECCO Leather, she tests the materials and their performance, taking the first steps towards the products that will start showing up on shelves.
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