Innovation meets purpose: making bold career moves with science

How do you take a passion and turn it into a career? For many, this question marks the beginning of a journey. One filled with challenges, opportunities, and moments that require bold moves.

Maybe the answer lies in aligning your strengths with your ambitions, seizing opportunities when they arise, and surrounding yourself with a team that support and inspire you.

Perhaps the key is innovation? Or it may require channelling passion into purposeful action and embracing taking risks.

In this edition, we spotlight two remarkable UNSW Science alumni who have taken very different paths, but share a common thread – their careers are a testament to bold decisions, innovative thinking, and a deep commitment to their passions. Their journeys offer inspiration, proving that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a successful career in science.

Q&A: How do you launch a startup?

Alinta Furnell, a UNSW alum and Adjunct Associate lecturer is no stranger to the start-up world. Alinta is the co-founder of Synbiote, a biotechnology startup that is dedicated to harnessing the power of microbiology to address key climate issues affecting people and the planet. One of Synbiote’s first ventures was co-founding Sörzero, the world’s first tea-based non-alcoholic beer.

In recognition of her impact, Alinta has been honoured as a 776 Foundation Climate Fellow, awarded as a 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australian, and most recently, listed as a 2024 Vogue Codes Future Innovator.

We spoke to Alinta to find out more about the roller-coaster world of start-ups and the importance of knowing your purpose and mission from the get-go.

UNSW Science: What is your elevator pitch for Synbiote?

Alinta: Our focus is on bio-based materials that’re made from regenerative resources. Specifically, we are developing these biomaterials to replace non-renewable materials in high-tech use-cases. Currently, we’re using our biomaterials to boost the performance of battery systems.

UNSW Science: What is the first thing you should do when thinking about launching a start up?

Alinta: Find the right team! Your startup is undoubtedly going to pivot and evolve throughout its journey, your team is the one thing that stays constant and you want to make sure you can rely on them.

UNSW Science: How did you meet your Synbiote team/co-founders?

Alinta: Our team came together through a shared mission to use biotechnology for global welfare. I met Ismat in 2020 at UNSW, co-founding our first startup to optimize biomanufacturing. We connected with Vivid through a mentorship program at our university, who brought expertise in scaling businesses, product development, and artificial intelligence/machine learning to accelerate Research & Development.

To test our capability as a team, we co-founded Sörzero, a science-backed non-alcoholic beer. With Vivid’s leadership in product strategy, Ismat's expertise in chemistry, and my background in commercialisation, we went from concept to launch in just 150 days – 80% faster than the industry average. Within 120 days of launch, we achieved profitability, with Sörzero’s success providing both funding for our initial R&D, and validation for our current work at Synbiote. This experience cemented our dynamic as co-founders, showcasing our ability to deliver rapid innovation at scale.

UNSW Science: How much planning is essential before taking the initial practical steps toward building a startup, and how do you strike the right balance between preparation and action?

Alinta: Above all, it’s so important to take action and validate your idea with actual users. No amount of planning can predict how the market will perceive your product until you go out and ask them!

UNSW Science: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in getting your startup off the ground?

Alinta: It’s a rollercoaster - there are a lot of ups and downs! This is where having a driving mission behind your work is so important.

UNSW Science: How do you effectively balance the scientific aspects of your work with the business demands, ensuring both are aligned for the best outcomes?

Alinta: We do continuous customer discovery to make sure that our science is solving a real problem in the market.

UNSW Science: How do scientific skills and critical thinking serve as a valuable foundation for success in business and entrepreneurship?

Alinta: Scientific skills extend far beyond just lab work. Even though I’m no longer in the lab, I still use the same skillset I developed in my scientific training to critically evaluate problems and creatively problem solve.

Shooting for the stars with Jessie Christiansen

UNSW 2024 Alumni Award winner Dr Jessie Christiansen is the Chief Scientist at NASA's Exoplanet Science Institute and the world's top female planet hunter. Jessie suggests that when you do what you love and are great at, you contribute in ways that matter – both to yourself and to the world.

Watch her video where she shares her career journey and the inspiring story of where it all began.

The Economic Impact of Science

Real change requires fresh thinking and bold moves. Earlier this year, UNSW Science teamed up with UNSW Business and Professor Richard Holden to deliver a world-first report on the Economic Contribution of Science at UNSW.

The report highlights that science research conducted at UNSW is not only advancing breakthroughs but also driving significant economic impact, contributing over $350 million to the Australian economy and adding $2.2 billion to global GDP annually. Science is a powerful force for both societal and economic progress.