Innovation isn’t just a hallmark of leadership—it’s the catalyst that propels visionaries to reshape entire industries. The greatest leaders are not only driven by the pursuit of progress but also by a relentless passion for making a meaningful impact on people’s lives. This drive to innovate, to disrupt the status quo, and to forge new paths is what separates the good from the extraordinary.
This transformative spirit is powerfully embodied in Kelly Vargas. As the Founder of Almavista Labs, Kelly’s passion for innovation is more than a mission—it’s a movement. With a deep commitment to revolutionizing the food industry, she is leading the charge in developing clean label preservatives that promise to transform the way we think about food safety and quality. From her roots in synthetic chemistry to her groundbreaking work in natural polymers, Kelly Vargas is not just creating products; she’s shaping the future of food.
In this revealing conversation, Kelly opens up about her path to becoming a game-changer in biotechnology. She shares candid insights into the hurdles she’s overcome as a female founder in a male-dominated field, and offers a glimpse into the cutting-edge innovations taking shape at Almavista Labs.
This discussion isn’t just about one leader’s journey—it’s a window into the future of food technology and the power of visionary leadership to drive meaningful, global change.
Let’s dive in-
Kelly, as the founder of Almavista Labs, what inspired you to start this venture, and how does it align with your personal mission?
The love for invention has always inspired me!
I started Almavista labs, inspired by innovation and the power it can have to change people’s lives positively.
Through Almavista Labs, what specific global challenge are you aiming to address?
Our focus at this moment is to support the growing food system and demand for clean label preservatives for food products. There is a growing demand for natural preservatives to replace synthetic artificial preservatives. We want to gradually eradicate them from people’s diet around the world. In addition, the pandemic has accelerated the demand for products focused on health and food safety. All those establishments using this preservative obtain the benefit of extending the shelf life of food products, which translates into a reduction in waste, as well as maintaining their organoleptic properties.
Can you share an insight or discovery at Almavista Labs that you believe has the potential to revolutionize the biotech industry?
We consider ourselves to be a natural fiber engineering company, harnessing the power of fungal innovation. We work with mushrooms, such as champignon, and we extract fiber out of it. Our discovery comes at the molecular level. The molecule in this fiber gets customized to tackle challenges in the food industry. Our product can extend the shelf life of different food products, beverages, dairy products, baked goods, Jams and jellies, puddings, fillings among others.
We’re reinventing food with simpler labels and easy-to-pronounce preservatives. Our natural fiber derived from mushrooms not only extends the shelf life of food products, but also improves quality and freshness, ensuring greater consumer satisfaction. No more synthetic preservatives!
What challenges have you faced as a female founder in the biotech industry, and how have you overcome them?
As a female young founder, I think one of the biggest challenges I have faced is finding funding. The innovation we have accomplished has been cost-effective in the short term. But we would like to keep discovering and innovating, which requires long term research. Although we have worked with very talented people and have strong collaborations with academic researchers leading the company’s R&D, we are still looking for funding and strong partnerships to help us optimize our methods used in all our processes, as well as the expansion of our pilot plant.
What is that one pivotal moment in your journey that significantly shaped your leadership style?
The moment I understood that being exceptionally talented does not make a person qualified. I always look at the character first. Qualities such as high integrity, kindness, trust and respect for me are on top of any great skill anyone can have. People can learn a new skill; but they can’t learn character.
As we look towards 2024, what breakthrough are you most excited about at Almavista Labs?
Right at this moment we are focused on perfecting and optimizing our extraction methods, using the most advance technology with state-of-art equipment to offer the best natural product for food preservation in the market, as well as helping to shorten our production time. We want to become worldwide pioneers in the use of this plant-based fiber.
As one of the “100 Power Women to Watch in 2024,” what advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the biotech field?
Surround yourself with the very best people you can find, and always be inspired. Inspiration is the most powerful force that can lead us to achieve the unimaginable. Be inspired and be an inspiration to others!
More about Kelly Vargas
Kelly Vargas, a Venezuelan-born scientist, engineer, and international athlete, blends her expertise in synthetic chemistry with a passion for innovation. Her diverse background, combined with her education in Canada and current residence in the United Arab Emirates, has given her fluency in multiple languages and a profound appreciation for cultural diversity. She considers that living on different continents has shaped her into a curious, well-informed individual with a global perspective. She has been driving impactful research across industries, from food to healthcare, striving to create a better world through technology.
