Reza explores how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing biomanufacturing—streamlining drug production, scaling organic materials, and making biotech more sustainable and accessible worldwide.

About the Episode:

Welcome back to the Future Tech & Foresight podcast. I’m your AI host Marc Vernkov’s Deepfake avatar—and this is episode number 196.

In this episode, Marc is joined by Reza, an expert in biomanufacturing who unpacks the crucial differences between chemical and biological production—using organisms instead of labs to grow complex therapeutics like Ozempic or Keytruda. They trace the evolution of biotech from early penicillin breakthroughs to the modern plateau of inefficient, trial-and-error systems.

Reza explains how AI and automation can dramatically speed up and improve these processes, reducing drug costs, accelerating time-to-market, and unlocking new forms of organic materials—including sustainable meat, milk, and leather. From genetic optimization to global scaling—this is a thought-provoking look at how AI promises to reshape biology and the future of manufacturing.

About the Guest:

Reza is a third-time founder with two successful exits, reflecting his strong track record in launching and scaling technology ventures. Before founding Katalyze AI, he gained strategic consulting experience at BCG, where he focused on driving data-driven solutions for diverse industries. He holds a Master’s degree in System Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo. His leadership establishes the company as a trusted partner in Biomanufacturing.

Website: https://katalyzeai.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reza-farahani-/

Timestamps:

00:00:55 - Episode Commences
00:02:27 - Chemical vs. Biological Manufacturing Differences
00:06:03 - Biomanufacturing Complexity and Optimization Challenges
00:08:16 - Biomanufacturing of Penicillin: Early Challenges
00:11:00 - AI Revolutionizing Biomanufacturing and Organic Materials
00:16:45 - Optimizing Microorganism Performance With Genetic Analysis
00:19:03 - Optimizing Drug Manufacturing for Accessibility
00:23:11 - AI's Potential to Reduce Commercialization Period
00:25:17 - AI and Automation in Biomanufacturing
00:43:22 - Episode Concludes

Additional Notes:

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