About the founders

About The Founders

At Arbela Labs, our mission to revolutionize agriculture and biomanufacturing is driven by a team of visionary leaders. Our founders bring together a unique blend of expertise in biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, and business innovation.

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Michael LoCascio

Founder & CEO – BIO

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Michael LoCascio is the CEO and founder of Arbela Labs. His background includes executive level sustainability, government affairs, business development, and strategy positions at global 500 companies. Prior to this role, Michael led business development, market and competitor intelligence, intellectual property strategy, and new market entry strategy, diligence and techno-economic analysis for a variety of emerging technology sectors including water, agriculture, and other clean technologies.  Michael was an early pioneer in nanotechnology where, as a start-up founder and CTO,  he built and led R&D teams, patent portfolio development, licensing, and strategic marketing. He holds a M.E. in Electrical Engineering and a B.E. in Applied Physics from Stevens Institute of Technology.

ECMS Global Sustainability Strategy and Government Affairs
(Former) BASF Head of Bus. Dev., Strategic Marketing & IP
(Former) Lux Research Senior Analyst
(Former) Lockheed Martin Research engineer
(Former) Founder & CTO Nanotech start-up
Stevens Institute of Technology – MS Physics & EE

Together, our founders are committed to harnessing the power of Pichia yeast to create sustainable solutions for global protein needs and revolutionize biomanufacturing. Their combined expertise and shared vision drive Arbela Labs’ innovative approach to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges in agriculture and biotechnology.