# HIBT Lab! Wildtype: Aryé Elfenbein and Justin Kolbeck

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-06-02
- Length: 42m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck

## Summary

Aryé Elfenbein, a biologist and former cardiologist, and Justin Kolbeck, a former diplomat, co-founded Wildtype to cultivate real salmon from stem cells without killing fish. They discuss their pivot from an initial focus on foie gras to seafood to maximize environmental impact, detailing the technical challenges of growing cells in rented labs and the disappointment of their first tasteless prototype. The founders explain how they overcame sterility issues in custom-built bioreactors and navigated the regulatory path toward FDA approval for commercial sales.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=0) Introduction: Aryé Elfenbein and Justin Kolbeck
- [2:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=163) Founding Story and Initial Ideas
- [16:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=966) Pivoting from Foie Gras to Salmon
- [19:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=1174) Lab Work and Early Prototypes
- [35:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=2103) Technical Challenges and Sterility Issues
- [39:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-02-hibt-lab-wildtype-arye-elfenbein-and-justin-kolbeck#t=2350) Regulatory Path and Future Distribution

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Wildtype (company)
- FDA (other)
- Bloomberg (company)
- Momofuku (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Costco (company)

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- [Cultivated meat’s “trough of disillusionment”](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-02-27-cultivated-meats-trough-of-disillusionment) (Catalyst)
- [R&D RADIO: Travis Zissu from Scale Food Lab](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-13-r-d-radio-travis-zissu-from-scale-food-lab) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Dip Into Paradise with Founder Emily Edwards](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2021-03-01-dip-into-paradise-with-founder-emily-edwards) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Dina DiCenso of RIND](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-06-06-founder-feature-dina-dicenso-of-rind) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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