WE OFFER DAIRY LOVERS ANIMAL-FREE ALTERNATIVES WITHOUT COMPROMISE.
OUR MISSION
As vegan dairy substitutes proliferate the market, growing demand arises for dairy analogues that are similar to animal derived products in terms of taste and nutritional profile. Our aim is to catalyze the transformation of industrial animal agriculture by creating animal-origin-free dairy, without compromising the sensory experience that dairy lovers are accustomed to.
OUR PROCESS
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Yeast
We are developing yeast cultures that are very similar to the ones used to bake bread. Harnessing the power of microbes that early bakers used in Ancient Egypt and redesigning them with modern technology allow us to produce dairy ingredients we desire.
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Fermentation
We use precision fermentation technology to produce our dairy proteins at large scale. This tightly controlled environment is very similar to what you would see in a beer brewery. Our productive yeast strains are the most efficient way of producing alternative proteins to the dairy industry.
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Dairy
We are working towards creating better tasting, more nutritious, and animal-free dairy without the harmful antibiotics, hormones, and allergens. The dairy ingredients we provide represent improvement on animal-derived food in every aspect.
OUR IMPACT
Today’s model for food production is ripe for a change that we haven’t seen since millennia. Industrial animal farming, domesticating and growing macro-organisms like cow and sheep, is no longer sustainable. We see the detrimental effects on the ecology as wildlife vanishes and natural resources deplete.
We see the future in microorganisms. We are investing in technologies to harness the power of microorganisms and bring about a change in the ecosystem. Our primary goals are minimal environmental footprint, animal-welfare, and better food for everyone.
OUR MILESTONES
OUR TEAM
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FOUNDER / CEO
Murat is our founder and CEO. He has worked in software startups and has experience in various industries. He loves to be a part of the alternative protein industry.
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SENIOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST
Fateme is our senior R&D scientist. She adores bioinformatics of recombinant proteins. Furthermore, as a molecular geneticist, she believes that we have to transfer the miracle of science from the laboratory into our life.
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SCIENTIST
Merve has just left the microbiology lab and joined our team to help us create the best yeast strains. She loves animals - cows in particular :) - and working hard to replace animal derived dairy with the best alternatives.
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BİLGE NUR KURT
LAB MANAGER
Bilge is our lab manager. When she was studying biology, as a microbiology enthusiast, she was already dreaming of producing food from microorganisms. She joined our team after a very long career as a supervisor in an accredited food control laboratory. She is very excited and happy to be a part of Maya Milk Team.
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BENGİSAN DİVRİK
SCIENTIST
Bengisan is celebrated as the first ‘male’ scientist to join our predominantly female molecular biology team. While completing his masters in molecular biology and genetics, he had a long-held belief that industrial biotechnology will emerge as a solution to the most problems in the world. He thinks unsustainable animal agriculture is one of those problems to be fixed, and Maya Milk is a great place to start fixing. Bengisan is parenting a Scottish Fold and he dislikes McFarland standards :)
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METEHAN GAZİOĞLU
SCIENTIST
Biotechnology holds great promise in transforming food technologies, and as a molecular biologist, I firmly believe that microorganisms will play an increasingly central role in this field. As technology advances, the demand for better food production systems, particularly those that are animal-free, continues to grow. Microorganisms have the potential to supplant animal derived food products in various applications, and I am convinced that they have the power to revolutionize the entire landscape of our food system. I am excited to be part of the Maya lab because it is at the forefront of research that will shape the future of food!
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MERT PEKER
SCIENTIST
Mert is passionate about using biotechnology to address pressing real-world challenges, and he finds a profound sense of purpose in doing so. He is excited to be a member of the Maya Milk team, where he can focus on developing animal-free dairy alternatives. Mert is eager to work collaboratively with his colleagues, learn from their expertise, and apply his own skills to make a meaningful impact on the food industry.
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ADVISOR
Sinan is our advisor; he's bringing in extensive expertise in food science and helping us achieve delicious dairy in the most innovative way.
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ADVISOR
Hans is advising us on growth and disruption of the future of food. His passion in the food industry led him to prosper in early stage venture-backed startups to prominent food companies.
WE’RE HIRING!
About the Position
We are looking for a molecular biologist, strain engineer as a key member to join our startup.
Our goal is to create impact in the alternative protein industry, and contribute to a sustainable future.
We are currently running our R&D operations in Izmir, Turkey. If you can relocate and work with us on-site, that is great.
If you would like to work remotely, that is also great.
As part of the team, you will be expected to interact frequently to keep up to date, but also work independently.
This is a great position to deep dive into strain engineering, metabolic engineering, protein engineering, and precision fermentation.
Please contact us:
Key responsibilities:
Help design and perform experiments focused on molecular cloning, genetic engineering, protein expression, and strain evaluation
Design and build strains to optimize production of targeted molecules
Analyze fermentation results to identify improved strains and iterate on strain development
Keep up to date and explore scientific literature to identify and pursue new strain engineering strategies
Generate hypothesis-driven experiments to improve strain development
Collaborate cross-functionally to develop processes that can be executed at commercial scale
Collaborate on design, construction, and screening of recombinant proteins and strain libraries
Requirements:
BSc in Microbiology, Metabolic Engineering, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or related engineering or life science discipline with 3+ years relevant industry experience
0+ years (PhD) or 2+ years (MSc) post-degree research experience; previous work in an industrial setting, especially a startup, is a plus
Experience with standard molecular biology techniques including PCR, gene cloning, transformation, electrophoresis, and culturing microbes
A positive, open, and intellectually curious team player who embraces the challenges and excitement of an entrepreneurial business
Experience with sub-cloning techniques is a plus
Experience in metabolic engineering; familiarity with prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganism physiology is a plus
Experience in protein engineering and designing/screening libraries is a plus
Contact us:
New York Cohort 2021