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WTiN will invite a host of industry professionals and key opinion leaders to join delegates virtually and discuss the latest advancements in biobased and biosynthetic materials. Meet our Innovate: Biobased Materials speakers. 
Alexa Raab Covation Biomaterials & Sorona®
Lucie Semenec Newera Bio
Emily Taylor Sages
Magali Mendez Tintte
Chelsea Franklin PANGAIA
Simon Kew Sparxell
Kym Canter BIOFUR®
Jason Whitfield Main Sequence Ventures
Kenji Higashi Spiber
Neil Buckney Modern Synthesis
Gerard Nijhoving Senbis Polymer Innovations
Simon Whitmarsh-Knight Hyosung
Renana Krebs Algaeing
Anish Paliwal Archroma
Michael Kingsbury Uluu
Julia Reisser Uluu
Julia Mertens Covestro
Lutz Walter European Textile Technology Platform
Eva Engelen Fashion For Good
Roberto Lovo Marzotto Wool Manufacturing S.r.l
Madelaine Thomas WTiN

Alexa Raab

Covation Biomaterials & Sorona®

Director of Communications

Alexa Raab is a dedicated, collaborative leader who unites her expertise in communications, brand strategy, marketing, and management as the Director of Communications for Covation Biomaterials and Sorona®, an eco-efficient performance fiber. The brand’s sustainable vision, and commitment to improving the environment without compromising quality, is an inspiration to her. It’s this level of commitment to innovation that has motivated her to remain with DuPont for 18 years. “I am proud to work with teams that are creating products the world needs and that improve how we live,” she explains. “We most recently launched our new sub-brand and Common Thread certification program during the global pandemic and we did not face any opposition. Instead, all we heard was: ‘How can I help?’”

Prior to joining the Sorona ® team, Raab was the global communications and brand manager for DuPont’s packaging and digital inks group, where she managed a global team. It was the second time she led a global team at the company, after holding the marketing communications role with Verlasso ® where she worked with various stakeholders to propel the project forward. She also has extensive experience with DuPont’s personal protection business with brands including Nomex ®, Kevlar ®, Tyvek ®, and Tychem ®, where she mastered digital tools and held a corporate communications role focusing on internal needs with team members working on the shop floor.

Raab has a graduate certificate in Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business from the University of Delaware. She is Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, which further developed her process improvement skills, and LEAD Training certified. She earned her degree in Communications with minors in English and Art History from Villanova University. Outside of work, Raab is a proud homeroom mother at her children’s school.

Lucie Semenec

Newera Bio

CEO & Co-Founder

Lucie is the CEO and co-founder of Newera Bio, a company pioneering low-carbon, high-performance dyes to help the textile industry transition to bio-based alternatives. With over a decade of research experience in microbiology and systems biology, she has published 30+ papers and led projects on microbial plastic degradation, corrosion, and electrochemical processes. Lucie’s broad technical expertise spans genetic engineering, microfluidics, and microbial fuel cells. Before her PhD, she worked in global market research—experience that now shapes her strategic approach to commercialising science. Inspired by seeing microbes used for bioremediation in Chile, she’s now focused on using biotechnology to build a more sustainable dyeing industry

Emily Taylor

Sages

CEO & Co-Founder

Emily Taylor is CEO and Co-founder of Sages, a biotech company creating non-toxic dyes from food waste. Her career with global brands shapes Sages’ industry-led approach to sustainable colour.

Magali Mendez

Tintte

Co-Founder

Magali Mendez is a pioneering biodesigner and researcher dedicated to integrating sustainable practices into the textile industry. As one of the co-founders of Tintte, she is at the forefront of developing biodegradable, natural colourants sourced from microorganisms. This innovative approach utilises biotechnology to significantly reduce the environmental impact associated with traditional textile dyeing processes.

With a background in product design and five years of experience as a designer and production manager in diverse companies, Magali's passion for sustainability was ignited by her concerns over the ecological effects of conventional manufacturing. She further honed her expertise through a strategic sustainable design course at the University of Buenos Aires in 2017 and graduated from the MA Biodesign program at Central Saint Martins in 2022. Magali's work exemplifies her commitment to creating a more sustainable future through design.

Chelsea Franklin

PANGAIA

Head of Advanced Concepts

Chelsea Franklin is a designer operating at the intersection of fashion, innovation and sustainability. She creates products using new technologies–balancing end-of-life pathways with the performance and aesthetics of next-generation materials. Her work transforms concepts into pilot production runs that set new standards for the industry. Currently Chelsea is the Head of Advanced Concepts for lifestyle brand and material science company, PANGAIA.

Simon Kew

Sparxell

COO

Simon J. Kew is a globally experienced senior technology leader with a track record of commercial success in implementing new chemically enabled manufacturing technologies at industrial scale. Kew has cross-industry experience in implementing manufacturing innovations in global Fortune 100 and start-up companies across sectors including fashion and textiles, consumer products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food. A chemist and chemical engineer by training, he holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Kym Canter

BIOFUR®

Founder

Fashion industry veteran Kym Canter founded the BIOFUR® company to continue her exploration of next-generation materials, primarily focusing on petrochemical-free and animal fur-free alternatives. Canter spent a decade as the creative directory of luxury fashion brand J.Mendel. Prior to which she held the positions of fashion editor and stylist at magazines including ELLE, The Washington Post Magazine, and O The Oprah Winfrey Magazine.

In 2017, Canter launched House of Fluff, a New York-based, animal-free material innovation studio and outerwear brand dedicated to redefining fur for the next generation of consumers. In 2022, she closed House of Fluff to focus solely on material innovation, renaming her company Biofur. At the beginning of 2025, Biofur launched its first two USDA certified 98% Bio Preferred pile textiles.

As an expert on next-generation materials, cruelty-free fashion, ethics and Sustainability, Canter has spoken on panels sponsored by the National Retail Federation, New York University, and Business of Fashion, to name a few. 

Jason Whitfield

Main Sequence Ventures

Deep Tech Investor

Jason Whitfield is a deep tech investor with Main Sequence Ventures, Australia’s largest deeptech fund. As a former researcher in Synthetic Biology, he works closely with researchers and early-stage founders to translate science into commercially viable companies, often at the intersection of chemistry, biology, materials, and industrial systems. Jason has advised and supported startups across sectors including alternative proteins, precision fermentation, circular economy platforms, and biomanufacturing. In his role at MSV he is particularly passionate about investing in companies in the Feed10b, Decarbonise the planet and Humanity scale health areas that are solving global ag, climate and health challenges.

Kenji Higashi

Spiber

Executive Vice President & Director of Sustainability

With a background in biotechnology, Kenji has spent over a decade bringing biomaterials innovation to life. Since 2013, he has been driving Spiber Inc.’s business development and sustainability initiatives, focusing on projects that aim to build a more circular and sustainable society. Based in France, Kenji also serves as President of Spiber’s Europe branch, overseeing regional operations.

Neil Buckney

Modern Synthesis

Head of Engineering

Neil Buckney serves as the Head of Engineering for Modern Synthesis, where he leads the technical scale-up of their revolutionary biobased materials. At the core of their technology is nanocellulose, a material poised to transform the textile industry. Neil’s career has been consistently focused on commercialising sustainable technologies. After earning a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, he developed material and technology solutions at startups in the wind industry and later at the electric vehicle innovator, Arrival. At Modern Synthesis, he applies this extensive experience to build the robust supply chains and manufacturing processes required to take novel biomaterials from the lab to industrial scale.

Gerard Nijhoving

Senbis Polymer Innovations

CEO & President

Dutch entrepreneur Gerard Nijhoving is bringing innovations to the market for a more sustainable world. With an engineering degree from Delft University of Technology he began his career in sales and business development in the food and biofuels industries. After several years as a freelance business developer in the chemical industry Nijhoving encountered a former multinational research facility (previously part of AkzoNobel) that was seeking new investment and direction.

In 2016, he acquired the company and rebranded it as Senbis Polymer Innovations B.V., transforming it into a leading research and development powerhouse specialising in biopolymers for fibre applications. Since then, Senbis has developed multiple biopolymer fibre innovations, including BioFurWorld, and launched a flagship project to develop next-generation biopolyester for the fashion industry. Senbis aims to scale sustainable materials in collaboration with sector partners, helping reduce microplastic pollution and the carbon footprint of textiles. 

Simon Whitmarsh-Knight

Hyosung

Global Marketing and Sustainability Director

Simon has extensive international experience growing new business in the sustainable fibres, technical textiles and performance apparel industries. Having worked for global brands, retailers and manufacturers, Simon’s background includes building brands and aligning teams across cultures in dynamic markets, and supporting supply chain transformation and engagement through the textiles value system. Simon currently leads sustainability for Hyosung, the world’s largest elastane manufacturer by market share, who recently announced a $1bn investment in upgrading their Vietnam facility to produce bio-based elastane derived from sugarcane.

Renana Krebs

Algaeing

Co-Founder & CEO

Renana Krebs is the co-founder and CEO of Algaeing, the clean colour company. Krebs is an award-winning entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience in the fashion and textile industry. Krebs completed her undergraduate degree in fashion design and worked at elite fashion houses, where she first handedly saw the industry's detrimental effects on people and the planet. She then embarked on a mission to detoxify the textile industry - starting with receiving an MA in sustainability and founding Algaeing in 2016 with Dr Oded Krebs. Today, Algaeing's algae-powered colours can be purchased by manufacturers at a mass scale, and by consumers through a brand collection.

Krebs is a keynote speaker, and mentor. She has been featured in Vogue, Forbes, CNN, and leading publications.

Anish Paliwal

Archroma

Global Marketing Director – Process Chemicals & Coloration

Anish Paliwal is currently the Global Marketing Director – Process Chemicals & Coloration within the Textile Effects division of Archroma, following the company's acquisition of the Textile Effects division of Huntsman in March 2023.

Prior to joining Archroma, Mr. Paliwal held the role of Global Marketing Manager for CEL – Casual Wear & Home Textiles Huntsman Textile Effects. He had previously worked at Ciba Specialty Chemicals, where he held various positions in Product Management and Global and Regional technical teams since 2004. Mr. Paliwal brings with him over 20 years of experience working across the textile value chain with key stakeholders. He is an Indian national and holds a Textile & Chemical Engineering degree.

Michael Kingsbury

Uluu

Co-Founder & Co-CEO

Michael is co-founder of Uluu, an Australian start-up producing a fermented plastic alternative (PHAs) from farmed seaweed & seawater to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and end plastic pollution. He was previously a business executive with BHP and, before that, a corporate M&A lawyer.

Julia Reisser

Uluu

Co-Founder & Co-CEO

Julia is co-founder of Uluu, an Australian start-up producing a fermented plastic alternative (PHAs) from farmed seaweed and seawater to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and end plastic pollution. She is an oceanographer and a global expert in ocean plastic pollution. She has a PhD in plastic waste, studied plastic recycling, and was one of the earliest members of The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch not-for-profit developing technology to remove plastic from the seas.

Julia Mertens

Covestro

Global Marketing Manager Textile Coatings

Global Marketing Manager Textile Coatings at Covestro, holds an M.Sc. in Business Administration and has been driving innovation at Covestro since 2016. With extensive marketing expertise in the chemical industry, she currently leads global marketing initiatives for Covestro's textile coatings business, a position she has held since 2022. During her career, she has held several positions in marketing and was responsible for projects in sustainability and digital marketing.

Julia is passionate about transforming the textile coatings industry through more sustainable solutions and circular economy principles. Her knowledge and experience effectively combine technical backgrounds with market-oriented approaches. Based in Leverkusen, Germany, she works closely with international stakeholders to address sustainability issues along the textile value chain, focusing on coating technologies that improve performance while reducing environmental impact.

Lutz Walter

European Textile Technology Platform

Secretary General

With over 20 years of experience working as a Director Innovation and Skills at EURATEX and currently as Secretary General of the European Textile Technology Platform, Lutz disposes of a broad knowledge of textile industry and technology trends and an unparalleled network of contacts into the European textile innovation eco-system. He holds degrees in Business Administration (Germany), Political Science (France) and an Executive MBA from Vlerick Business School in Belgium.

Eva Engelen

Fashion For Good

Innovation Manager

Bio to follow...

Roberto Lovo

Marzotto Wool Manufacturing S.r.l

Production Director and R&D project coordinator

Production Director and R&D project coordinator of Marzotto Wool Manufacturing S.r.l., a leading international manufacturer of high-end wool and natural fiber fabrics and part of Marzotto Group, Roberto Lovo was born in Castellanza - Varese (Italy) in 1968. With a solid engineering background, he has gained extensive technical and management experience in major textile and apparel industrial groups, pursuing efficiency and quality improvements and leading technological innovation projects throughout the supply chain. At Marzotto Group, he is responsible for the historic headquarter plant in Valdagno, Italy, and supports the technological evolution of a group with a history spanning more than 180 years that combines long-standing tradition with continuous innovation to enhance the excellence of Made in Italy and the identity of the Marzotto brand, while embracing sustainable innovation.

Madelaine Thomas

WTiN

Head of Content

As WTiN’s Head of Content, Madelaine is responsible for all WTiN content. Working at WTiN for over nine years, Madelaine has witnessed the move towards digitalisation in the industry and was a key player in launching WTiN’s Textile 4.0 branded products. As current editor of Nonwovens Report International and former editor of Digital Textile, International Dyer & Finisher and Textile 4.0, Knitting International journals (and their online counterparts on WTiN.com), Madelaine has a wealth of knowledge across the textile & apparel value chain. She is also the Editor of the ITMA Daily News and INDEX News. She holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds, UK and a First Class Honours degree in International Journalism from Liverpool John Moores, also in the UK.