03.21.23
Provectus Algae (Provectus) has named Steven F. Schnittger cosmetics industry advisor.
Schnittger is the former vice president of global fermentation and microbiology R&D at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. with a tenure spanning 37 years.
“Both the personal care and food industries are looking for natural and sustainable based processes for developing new ingredients for incorporation into their formulations. I am looking forward to, and excited about, guiding Provectus Algae on this journey,” said Schnittger. “Provectus Algae’s photosynthetic biomanufacturing platform offers product developers with a new mechanism for creating sustainable goods, while also providing access to new functional bio-based ingredients from microalgae.”
Provectus Algae is a biotechnology company developing the future of biomanufacturing with carbon-capturing microbes. Using its proprietary technologies, Provectus programs microalgae to produce valuable biochemicals using natural and synthetic biology approaches. The company envisions a key role for its biomanufacturing platform in the cosmetics industry, especially as demand for bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived ingredients continues to grow.
Bringing Schnittger on reflects a deepening in Provectus Algae’s commitment to using its photosynthetic platform to generate cosmetic ingredients, according to the company.
Expertise in Cosmetics
During his time at The Estée Lauder Companies, Schnittger led efforts to use fermentation bioprocesses to develop active ingredients for cosmetic formulations, helping to shift product components toward bio-based alternatives. Schnittger also holds extensive expertise in cosmetic microbiology, product preservation, safety assessment, good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and quality control systems.
“We are extremely excited to have Steve join our team. His profound expertise in the cosmetics industry will be tremendously valuable as we work to bring functional ingredients from microalgae to the market,” said Nusqe Spanton, founder and CEO of Provectus Algae. “With Steve on board, we can elevate our cosmetic research programs and ensure the highest product quality and performance to our partners.”
Provectus boasts a rapidly expanding microalgae metabolomics database, which the company believes is already ripe with valuable biochemicals waiting to be harvested and explored. By building this microalgae biodiscovery database into the largest of its kind, Provectus expects that it can mine countless high-value bioproducts for the cosmetics industry and beyond. As Provectus continues to build out advanced data analysis capabilities, it can speed up biodiscovery efforts and make sustainable photosynthetic bioprocesses commonplace in the sector.
