AI entrepreneurs turn industry waste into tomorrow’s breakthrough ingredients

Drawing on technology used in the pharma industry, where co-founders Dr. Hilla Ben-Hamo (CEO) and Dr Coralie Ebert (CTO) first met, MeNow is using AI to scan the molecular makeup of botanicals and their by-products to create a library of molecules and predict their potential health benefits. The algorithm is able to make predictions about the bioavailability, safety and health benefits of compounds, supporting the sped-up development of safe and effective botanical supplements. “We met when we were involved in using AI to develop pharma-grade drugs,” said Ben-Hamo, who holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology engineering. “We realized there was a huge white space to use this technology in nutraceuticals and cosmetics, and decided to do it ourselves.” After founding the company five years ago, Ebert, who has a background in bioinformatics and biostatistics, said their first year was spent developing the algorithm through the collation of databases to create a library of 60,000 organisms and more than 2 million natural molecules. The firm’s commercial model includes co-development, licensing and joint go-to-market partnerships for novel, IP-protected ingredients. To validate the platform commercially, the team began with a focus on the cosmetics industry, as this posed fewer sensory challenges around taste, texture, and viscosity. One such collaboration was with Colgate, through which they identified an optimal plant combination for treating gingivitis, cutting the firm’s development time by 75%, according to the entrepreneurs. They moved into nutraceuticals last year and have quickly made waves in this arena after the platform discovered a compound sourced from discarded sorghum crop residue which is predicted to be an SIRT1 protein activator. Ben-Hamo described this as a potentially game-changing discovery in the booming longevity category. “SIRT1 activators are one of the most sought-after compounds in longevity science,” she explained, “they are linked to anti-aging, hair growth and cellular protection.” The firm has developed an AI Sustainability Hub through which it partners companies in the food, supplements and cosmetics sectors to find sustainable solutions to health targets. Amid heightened industry interest in non-pharmaceutical approaches to weight management, particularly ingredients that can provide alternatives to GLP-1 drugs, the platform has discovered a potential GLP-1 agonist molecule already approved for use in food. Coming from a sidestream of fermentation of bacteria, this ‘ready-to-market’ compound is different to others discovered through the platform as the compound would not need to undergo any additional regulatory approvals. “There has been a lot of interest because it’s a fast way to take a product to market,” explained Ben-Hamo. “It’s a big thing that we don’t have to take it through the long process of approval.” However, potentially holding greater potential in the weight management space, Ben-Hamo highlighted the first ingredient to come out of the Sustainability Hub was a byproduct of brown seaweed ( Ascophyllum nodosum ). Company data indicates the byproduct activates the CCK1 receptor (cholecystokinin receptor 1), a key regulator of satiety and digestion. In the body, CCK1 and GLP-1 are triggered simultaneously to create both immediate and longer-lasting satiety. “The pharma industry was interested in creating a CCK1 agonist but there were stability issues so a CCK1 agonist was never realized,” Ben-Hamo told NI. “But this is a key regulator of satiety and digestion and it has a faster and stronger effect than the GLP-1 pathway.” She explained this pathway additionally promotes enzyme secretion to improve nutrient absorption. “It increases the enzymes which promote absorption of nutrients, therefore increases nutrient uptake from food eaten,” she added. “This makes it a promising solution in comparison with GLP-1 drugs with which there’s concern over users getting enough nutrients.” The ingredients are patent-pending and open for licensing to interested partners. Looking ahead, the co-founders said women’s health is among the areas they see as particularly ripe for AI-driven ingredient discovery, citing growing demand for targeted solutions across life stages including menopause and healthy aging.