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BioBQ consists of a team of dedicated experts in STEM and business and enthusiastic biotechnology interns giving of their time to produce the world's first cultured beef brisket.  Below is the story of why Katie Kam, the vegan Texas native that used to work as a BBQ waitress, founded BioBQ in December 2018.

The Founder
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Katie Kam, PhD, PE

CEO & Co-Founder

katiekam(at)biobqing.com

The story of how I got here starts with when I worked in high school at a BBQ restaurant in northwest Austin.  I'd eat BBQ on my breaks; brisket slathered in sauce was my favorite followed up with banana pudding.  But then over time, as I learned more about factory farming and could no longer make the distinction between my dogs and cats I loved and the animals that were on my plate, I decided to become vegan.  A few years later, when I heard about Dr. Mark Post making the first cultivated hamburger, I immediately knew that was the win-win solution for meeting meat demand and addressing animal welfare, environmental, and other issues associated with meat from slaughtered animals.  I started BioBQ in December 2018 then started attending cultured meat conferences, networking and working with experts wanting to advance cultured meat and securing lab space to make the taste-tested "brisket bite" prototypes.   I am thrilled that we are actively engaged in an exciting engineering, and scientific challenge of bringing cultured barbecue meats to the world.  This is my second business; I enjoy being an entrepreneur.  I love that this effort combines my education and experience in engineering, biology, chemistry, community & regional planning, and entrepreneurship.  

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LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/katie-kam

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