Alec Brewer is a co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer at Ourobio. Alec is a graduate of UVA, holding a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. Alec has 8 years experience working with startups and small businesses, and is involved in a number of entrepreneurship, synthetic biology, and sustainability communities. In 2019, Alec was elected co-chair of the UVA iGEM synbio research team where he first began working with PHAs, which later inspired his Capstone research entitled “Investigation into Polyhydroxybutyrate and Bacterial Nanocellulose Composites for Single-Use Paper Packaging.” Alec was also recognized as a 2019 BMES MINDS Scholar for his research into medical solutions for fall and reinjury prevention; founded and manages a nonprofit startup that is tackling furniture waste and furniture poverty in Charlottesville, VA; and helped to found ValleyDAO, a web3 startup that is democratizing R&D and project financing in the biomanufacturing industry. At Ourobio, Alec oversees most aspects of business development, including fundraising, IP, and commercialization strategy, and has forged relationships/partnerships crucial to furthering both technical and commercial success.