Featured ZINOpreneur of the Week: Kelly Ogilvie of Blue Marble Biomaterials

Kelly Ogilvie, Blue Marble Biomaterials

Our ZINO Society featured ZINOpreneur Member this week is Kelly Ogilvie, CEO of Blue Marble Biomaterials. Kelly presented his company at the ZINO Society Investment Roundtable Meetings in May, 2011. We asked him to share the answers to a few questions about his company.


What is your one-sentence elevator pitch? . . . Blue Marble manufactures specialty chemicals from plant material that directly replace petrochemicals from oil.

How did you come up with the idea for your company? . . . We saw the need to solve the "other oil problem," petroleum chemicals in all consumer goods. 

The word that best describes your company culture is . . . innovative.

How are you different from your competition? . . . We produce chemicals from bacteria and plants, not from petroleum. 

What is the biggest challenge you face? . . . Scaling is the biggest problem we face and being able to produce large quantities to an industry thirsty for change and sustainable solutions.
How much money have you raised to date? . . . $4MM.

If someone gave your company $3 million tomorrow, how would you use the money? . . . We would use the funds to commercialize our operation, invest in capacity, and hire key personnel to grow our business.
What is the oddest or most unusual things about your company? . . .The founders met on Craigslist.

What is one thing missing from your business? . . . A Chief Operating Officer.

Why will your company be successful? . . . We have a proven technology, and customers who want our product. We have to deliver molecules to market.