Formo appoints Andreas Heyl as CTO to drive precision fermentation scale-up

Berlin-based precision fermentation company Formo announced today that Dr Andreas Heyl had joined the company as Chief Technology Officer, bolstering its leadership team as it moved toward industrial-scale manufacturing and commercialization of its precision-fermented dairy proteins.

Heyl joined Formo following a period of close engagement with the company’s technology and manufacturing roadmap. According to Formo, its progress in precision-fermented casein, combining functional performance with a clear pathway toward cost-competitive unit economics, was a key factor in his decision to take on the role.

Formo focused on developing and scaling precision-fermented casein for dairy applications, supplying the core milk proteins responsible for the functional performance of cheese and other dairy products. With functionality established across priority applications, the company said it was now concentrating on expanding customer engagement and scaling manufacturing capacity ahead of commercial supply.

Heyl brought more than two decades of experience in scaling advanced food, chemical, and biotechnology processes into industrial production. He previously held senior leadership roles at Lonza and ICL Group, including CTO positions overseeing global research and development, strategic innovation, and industrialization programs. He also co-founded industrial biotechnology company Insempra.

Most recently, Heyl had advised high-impact industrial ventures on scaling technologies from pilot to commercial manufacturing and supporting routes to market. He also served as Innovation Manager at Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, SPRIN-D, where he worked on advancing technologies with large-scale industrial potential.

As CTO, Heyl was tasked with executing and accelerating Formo’s scale-up strategy, product application development, and cost-reduction trajectory. His remit included strengthening industrial robustness, shortening time-to-scale, and supporting customer-led commercialization as the company prepared for commercial supply.

“Formo’s precision-fermentation platform has reached a level of technical and economic maturity that makes industrial scale-up not just possible, but compelling,” Heyl said. “The fundamentals are in place. My role is to accelerate execution along the cost and scale curves and work closely with customers and partners to bring this technology into commercial reality.”

Formo positioned the appointment as a milestone as it transitioned from technology validation to industrial execution. Founder and CEO Raffael Wohlgensinger described the period ahead as a decisive phase for the company.

“Andreas brings deep experience in industrializing complex technologies under real economic constraints,” Wohlgensinger said. “His decision to join the executive team reflects both the strength of our technology platform and the momentum we are building toward commercialization.”

Formo had emerged as one of Europe’s leading companies focused on precision-fermented dairy proteins, targeting applications where casein functionality was critical to replicating the texture, melt, and performance of conventional cheese and dairy products. By supplying the core milk proteins rather than finished consumer products alone, the company aimed to support a broader ecosystem of dairy alternatives that could meet functional and sensory expectations at scale.

Heyl’s appointment came as precision fermentation companies faced increasing scrutiny around cost, scalability, and manufacturing readiness. While many players in the sector had demonstrated technical feasibility at pilot scale, fewer had shown a clear path toward robust industrial production under commercial constraints. Formo said Heyl’s background in industrialization and global manufacturing would be central to addressing those challenges.

With leadership in place, the company said it was focused on compressing timelines from development to market and working closely with partners and customers to support commercialization. The appointment underscored Formo’s intent to move beyond proof-of-concept and into sustained commercial production as precision-fermented dairy proteins approached broader market entry.