Calysta appoints Thomas Huot as chief operating officer

Menlo Park, California, U.S.A.-based Calysta is the developer of FeedKind, an alternative protein ingredient used in fish feed. The company launched a trial partnership with Thai Union that was announced in April 2019 at Seafood Expo Global.

Prior to joining Calysta, Huot worked as managing director of VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global venture investment firm with a focus on energy innovation and technology with USD 4 billion (EUR 3.7 billion) under management. At VantagePoint, Huot specialized in industrial biotechnology, food, and agtech, and he first heard of Calysta after encountering it through one of VantagePoint’s clients, Novalis Advisors LLC, which offered strategic advisory services to Calysta.

“With FeedKind protein, Calysta is well positioned to address the dual challenge of food security and environmental sustainability. I’m delighted to have joined at a particularly exciting time in the company’s trajectory,” Huot said in a press release. “I’m looking forward to expanding Calysta’s innovations to broader markets, particularly in Asia where there is significant opportunity to provide feed products for aquaculture.”

Calysta has already performed successful internal trials of FeedKind and has completed a trial partnership with Nofima. It received a USD 30 million (EUR 26.3 million) investment from venture capital firm BP Ventures in June 2019.

FeedKind is now being produced from the company’s market introduction facility in Teesside, England, to support market development activities with several animal nutrition companies, Calysta said in its release.

“Thomas brings a wealth of directly impactful experience, knowledge, and network of customers, partners and investors to Calysta and has been an invaluable addition to the team,” Calysta President and CEO Alan Shaw said. “We strongly believe that FeedKind protein will make a lasting and positive impact on the way we produce food and having Thomas on board in this expanded role is a fresh vote of confidence in Calysta’s ability to achieve that on a global stage.”

Photo courtesy of Calysta