Meet our team
Elliott Notrica
Founder and CEO
A chef-turned-biologist, Elliott founded Symbio in 2022 to apply the transformative potential of fungal fermentation to industrial side stream challenges. Introduced to fermentation in restaurant kitchens. As CEO of Symbio, he works to enable rapid translation of innovative laboratory science into industrially relevant and economical bioprocess systems. His research interests are in metabolomics of Aspergillus species and bioprocess engineering for scalable enzyme production. Elliott has presented on fungal fermentation and upcycling at numerous conferences and is a founder of a nonprofit dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs. Learn More →
Favorite fermented food: Shoyu
Nikolai Valencia
Technical sales lead
Nikolai Valencia Glushchenko is a chemist by training who brings his technical expertise and passion for sustainability to sales and business development at Symbio. With a unique ability to bridge the gap between science and the market, he combines rigorous analytical thinking with genuine relationship-building skills to drive meaningful commercial impact in the sustainable commodities space. Originally from Ecuador, Nikolai brings a deep appreciation for the natural world and the complex ecological, social, and economic systems that connect communities to the land. His global perspective is reflected in his linguistic abilities: he is fluent in English, Spanish, and German, enabling him to build relationships and navigate business across boundaries and contexts with ease. Learn More →
Favorite fermented food: Chocolate
Omar Santoyo
Fermentation Technology Lead
Omar oversees research and development for Symbio and brings experience in process optimization and genetic engineering of filamentous fungi, and has worked in various disciplines of molecular and microbiology research. He oversees the R&D program, working to engineer fungi for difficult and novel applications and collaborating with process engineering partners to rapidly scale novel systems from bench to commercial applications. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and baking bread. Learn More →
Favorite fermented food: Sourdough
Our advisors
Travis Hawk, MBA
Strategic Advisor- Finance
Mr. Hawk is an experienced corporate leader and investor with a strong passion for business and community. He holds degrees from Saint Louis University and Drake University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and rehabilitating his rescue donkeys.
Andrew Lusk, Esq.
Strategic Advisor- Operations
Andrew Lusk is an established executive, corporate attorney, and investor with a distinguished track record spanning technology, M&A, corporate finance, and real estate. Mr. Lusk brings deep operational and strategic expertise to support Symbio's mission of transforming food waste into high-value ingredients.
Dr. Johnny Drain
Technical Advisor- Food Science
Dr. Johnny Drain is the CEO of deep-tech startup HypeSound — pioneering the use of sound as a new dimension of biological control — and an internationally recognized fermentation expert. He co-founded food tech company Win-Win, the first company to launch cocoa-free chocolate, holds a PhD in Computational Materials Science from Oxford, and is the author of Adventures in Fermentation. Johnny has worked with some of the world's best restaurants, brands, and companies at the intersection of microbiology, design, deliciousness and sustainability.
Dr. Travis Wyman
Technical Advisor- Genetics
Travis H. Wyman has a PhD in microbiology and molecular genetics from Emory University in Atlanta, and has been working in biodefense for the past 15+ years. Travis brings his scientific background to all his favorite hobbies: herpetoculture, hybridizing pitcher plants, baking, and, of course, growing and fermenting with koji. He lives with his wife and two children in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Jonathan Finau
Strategic Advisor- Business Development
Jonathan Finau brings over 15 years of leadership at the intersection of biomanufacturing and global food systems. From overseeing large-scale operations at Schreiber Foods and The Morning Star Company to architecting UCANR’s 'The Plant,' Jonathan has a proven track record of managing billion-dollar supply chains and scaling precision fermentation products.
Charles Ross
Strategic Advisor- Commercialization
Charles is Vice President & General Manager, Americas at Natara and brings more than 25 years of experience commercializing food and specialty ingredients. His career includes senior leadership roles at DuPont Nutrition & Health, Solae, Aker BioMarine, EverGrain Ingredients, and Corbion, where he led the commercial launch of TerraVia's algae-based ingredients.