Track 1 Session Details
AFCC Conference Breakout Sessions
Breakout Sessions are 90 minutes, each one has one moderator with a maximum of four to five speakers.
Breakout sessions will be focused on the following five subject areas:
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Track 1: Biobased Manufacturing: Renewable Chemicals, Biopolymers, Biomaterials Creating a Cleaner Planet
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Track 2: Sustainable Feedstocks and Biofuels, Driving Decarbonization
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Track 4: Synthetic Biology, Alternative Proteins, Regenerative Agriculture, Food & Fiber
Track 1 Breakout Session Details​
​Biobased Manufacturing: Renewable Chemicals, Biopolymers, Biomaterials Creating a Cleaner Planet
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This Track is Sponsored by:
Monday, November 2, 2026
All sessions will be held in National Harbor 4
Session 1: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM: Innovations on Advanced Biocarbon Biopolymers: New Market Opportunities from Biomanufacturing
Research, production, and scale are focused on functionalizing biopolymers, creating smart biopolymers that respond to stimuli, and optimizing biocarbon–polymer interfaces for maximum performance. These biopolymer renewable chemicals represent a promising pathway toward circular economy and climate friendly biomanufacturing. The team of panelists will provide their recent innovations to market opportunities.
Session 2: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM: Beyond Packaging: Addressing Plastic Persistence in Agriculture/Horticulture
Moderator: Professor Narayan, Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University
Speakers:
While compostable biopolymers have gained traction in food-service packaging, a significant source of single-use plastic remains in agriculture/horticulture. Seedling pots, fertilizer coatings, plant stakes, vine clips, mulch films, and grafting clips are commonly manufactured from durable polymers such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). After a short functional life, these products are often contaminated with soil and organic matter, making collection and recycling impractical and contributing to plastic persistence and microplastic accumulation.
This paradox is particularly evident in organic agriculture, which has reduced dependence on synthetic chemicals while increasing reliance on plastics. As concerns over soil health grow, interest is increasing in materials that provide performance during use while offering responsible end-of-life options.
This presentation explores the role of biopolymers beyond packaging in agricultural applications where biodegradability may provide unique environmental and operational benefits. Case studies will highlight Natur-Tec® industrially compostable and soil- biodegradable horticultural clips and nursery containers engineered to balance processability, mechanical performance, and end-of-life degradation. Performance data and grower requirements will be discussed alongside opportunities for industrial composting in on-farm systems where available, or verified soil-biodegradation where recovery is impractical. These approaches may help reduce plastic persistence, minimize microplastic accumulation, and support more circular agricultural production systems.
Session 3: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM: Cell-free Biomanufacturing: From Food and Cosmetic Ingredients to Commodity Chemicals
Moderators: Doug Cameron, President, Alberti Advisors
Speakers:
Cell-based fermentation has been the workhorse of biomanufacturing for more than 100 years. However, cell-free biomanufacturing, such as transformations carried out by a single enzyme (or mixture of 2-3 enzymes), have been used for at least as long. Although cell-based manufacturing continues to advance, over the last few years there has also been a surge of innovation and application of cell-free systems, with some examples involving over 10 enzymes and cofactor recycle. This panel will explore reasons for this recent surge, as well as some of the challenges. It will also discuss current commercial applications (such as the sweetener, RebM) and emerging applications. Reasons for this surge include advances in A.I. for protein folding and for retrosynthetic pathway design, improvements in enzyme production, the ability to make products that are toxic to whole cells, developments in cofactor use and recycle, and the potential to use less-conventional inputs such as CO2, H2, and electricity. The panel will also discuss the economic and commercial aspects of cell-free manufacturing, including capital costs relative to cell-based processes.
Session 4: 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM: Sustainable Alternative Materials for the Environment (SAFE)
Moderator: Rebecca Coons, Managing Editor, S&P Global Energy
Speakers:
In this session, we will hear from the industrial biotechnology producers, end-users, brand owners representing the interests of the global biopolymer industry, their commitment to building and strengthening a supportive policy environment. We will hear innovation related to alternative materials, challenges, and opportunities, replacing conventional substances in various applications, such as construction, packaging, or energy infrastructure, with the goal of reducing environmental impact, conserving resources, or improving performance. These SAFE materials are often designed to be more sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable, or derived from renewable sources, offering a different life cycle that leaves a gentler footprint on the planet.
Innovative circular biodegradable plastics for sustainable packaging - Professor Amar Mohanty, Chair in Sustainable Materials,University of Guelph
This presentation will provide a high-level overview of the biobased innovative flexible and rigid packaging.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
All sessions will be held in National Harbor 4
Session 5: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM: Advances in Biomanufacturing Renewable Chemicals
Moderator: James Barber, Barber Advisors
Speakers:
Praveen Paripati
CEO
Suganit Bio
This panel will present earlier stage firms taking a range of different approaches to commercialize renewable chemicals.
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From Reluctance to Urgency: The Evolution of the Chemical Industry's Approach to Non-Petro Feedstocks - Joaquin Alarcon, CEO, Catalyxx
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The chemical industry has a petroleum-dependence problem. More than 95% of feedstocks are fossil-based, and companies have struggled with various petroleum-driven challenges:
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• Pressure to decarbonize has come from governments and customers. By 2023, 66% of the largest European chemical end-users committed to reducing greenhouse-gases by 2030, and 37% pledged net-zero targets by 2050.
• Supply chain risk has become the up-at-night issue. With geopolitical conflict, the growing pressure to diversify and future-proof feedstock supply has accelerated.
• Geopolitical risk, along with protectionist policies, have driven demand for "localizing production, securing raw materials domestically and lowering... reliance on imports."
• Finally, commoditization has reduced margins. Companies are under pressure to develop specialized, higher-value products.
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These challenges are not easy to address with fossil-based solutions. Yet until recently, the industry has been slow to adapt new approaches.
Session 6: 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM: Creating a Sustainable Polyurethane Value Chain At Scale
Moderator: Michael Saltzberg, President, MA Saltzberg Consulting
Speakers:
Polyurethanes are one of the largest and most important classes of synthetic materials in industrial use today. Consumers, OEMs and governments are all demanding more sustainable solutions but in general experience has shown that such solutions cannot compromise on technical performance or cost versus incumbent products. Finding such new solutions is highly challenging and requires innovation and cooperation across entire value chains. This panel will include diverse companies working at different point in the polyurethane value chain to deliver products with substantially improved environmental performance along with performance and cost that is highly competitive with petro-based products. We will hear from makers of sustainable monomers, polymers and PU-based roll goods about their innovative approaches to overcoming the challenges of bringing new and better products to this important market.