We speak with Néstor Ibarz Blanch, CEO of IngreDiZymes Functional Solutions, to gain a closer understanding of the creation of a biotechnology company that aims to transform the way science is translated into functional ingredients with real market applications.
In this interview, he shares how they have built a model based on clean biotechnology, scientific validation and tailor-made development, with the goal of generating innovative and sustainable solutions. He also addresses the importance of turning scientific knowledge into industrial applications, the value of offering ingredients backed by solid evidence, and the main challenges in an increasingly demanding context in terms of efficacy, regulation and consumer expectations. A conversation about innovation, knowledge transfer and the need to connect science and market to deliver real value in every development.
1. Name, position and company
IngreDiZymes Functional Solutions
Néstor Ibarz Blanch, CEO at IngreDiZymes Functional Solutions
2. Tell us about the company you work for. What is its history?
IngreDiZymes was born as a spin-off of Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), with a very clear objective: to transform advanced scientific research into functional bioactive ingredients with real market applications.
Our origins lie in the Nutrigenomics Research Group at URV, where for years there has been extensive work on the development of bioactive compounds with solid scientific evidence. It is a group with a strong impact on the generation of applied knowledge and broad experience in technology transfer to the industrial sector, as demonstrated by the multiple patents generated both from in-house developments and collaborations with other companies. The natural next step was to create a structure that would enable this knowledge to be transferred to industry in an efficient, protected and scalable way.
From the beginning, we have built the company on three pillars: tailor-made developments (with flexibility in both the starting raw material and the desired functionality), clean biotechnology (enzymatic hydrolysis), and validated functionality through robust screening methods. Today, we operate across different markets such as human and animal functional nutrition and the cosmetics sector, developing innovative solutions based on enzymatic processes that allow the generation of natural and exclusive ingredients with validated biological activity.
3. What does your day-to-day role in the company involve?
As a very young company, my day-to-day sits at the intersection of science, strategy, business and management.
On one hand, I lead the technological vision: defining development lines, designing bioactive ingredients, prioritizing projects and overseeing scientific validation (in vitro, preclinical and, when applicable, human intervention studies).
On the other hand, I focus on business development: establishing strategic collaborations, identifying market opportunities, defining intellectual property strategies and positioning IngreDiZymes as a key partner in the development of functional ingredients.
Part of my role is also to ensure that every development makes sense from both a scientific and commercial perspective, understanding our technological capabilities and adapting them to our clients’ needs.
Finally, there is also a significant management component, which includes everything from internal team relationships and coordination with the university to the administrative and legal processes involved in building a company from scratch (notaries, consultancies, advisory services, etc.), ensuring its proper functioning and growth.
4. What is your key differentiating value?
Our differentiation is based on three key elements:
- Sustainability: We obtain our ingredients through enzymatic hydrolysis (clean biotechnology), reducing the use of organic solvents traditionally used for this purpose. Additionally, our methods allow us to start from any natural raw material, including agri-food by-products.
- Validation: Every ingredient we develop is backed by data. Our screening methods and multi-level functional validations allow us to provide a scientific dossier that supports both the bioactivity of our ingredients and their mechanisms of action.
- Innovation and exclusivity: We do not offer standard bioactives; instead, we develop tailor-made solutions with flexibility in both raw materials and functionality. Furthermore, our developments are patentable, increasing the added value of the ingredients.
5. What challenges do you foresee in the coming years?
The main challenge is scaling without losing the scientific rigor that defines us.
As we grow, complexity increases: more projects, more partners, more markets. The challenge lies in maintaining technical quality, traceability and consistency across all developments.
Another key challenge is meeting the increasing demands of end consumers. There is growing demand for real evidence, which requires raising standards in both validation and scientific communication.
Finally, adapting to the differences between regulatory frameworks across our target sectors will continue to shape the pace and capacity for innovation.
6. What does being part of the Beauty Cluster bring to you as a company and to you as a professional?
Being part of the Beauty Cluster allows us to integrate into an ecosystem where industry, innovation and market converge.
For IngreDiZymes, it is especially relevant as it positions us as a technological partner within the value chain, facilitating collaborations with companies seeking science-based innovation in their ingredients.
On a personal level, it is a space for continuous learning. It helps us better understand real market needs, share challenges and identify opportunities where our technology can deliver differentiated value.
7. Going back to you. How did you enter the sector?
My career is rooted in the intersection of biochemistry, biotechnology and molecular biology. With a PhD in Nutrition and Metabolism from Universitat Rovira i Virgili, I have specialized in exploring the functional properties of natural bioactive compounds, always with a focus on applicability and knowledge transfer. My academic training has been complemented by several national and international research stays at institutions such as Université du Luxemburg, University College Cork, and the University of Salamanca.
From the beginning, my focus has been on understanding the functional potential of natural bioactive compounds, not only from an academic perspective but with a clear orientation toward real-world application.
Within the Nutrigenomics Research Group, where I completed my PhD, we identified a growing consumer demand for natural solutions and everyday products with added health benefits. This translates into a need for companies to invest in effective, natural ingredients that add value to their products. Initially, we observed this in our “core territory” of functional foods and nutraceuticals, but later realized that this demand extends to other sectors such as cosmetics and even animal nutrition.
IngreDiZymes was created precisely to bridge this multisectoral gap. As CEO, my mission is to connect laboratory science with real-world applications, leading the development of bioactive ingredients that are not only evidence-based but also scalable, protectable and relevant across different markets.
8. Speaking of ‘beauty’, how would you define it?
From our perspective, beauty is directly connected to health and functionality.
It is not just an aesthetic matter, but the result of balanced biological processes. That is why we believe in a mechanism-based approach: understanding how ingredients act at the molecular level and how they can influence the skin or the body.
In this context, beauty is the result of solutions that truly work.
9. Any hobby, superpower or hidden passion you would like to share?
I would say my “superpower” is the ability to connect disciplines: science, technology and business.
Outside of work, I like to maintain an active lifestyle. I play several musical instruments and greatly enjoy music, both listening and performing, and even creating it. It helps me disconnect while also stimulating creativity.
I am also very passionate about sports: I practice swimming, enjoy climbing, and generally like to stay physically active. For me, sports are not only a form of wellbeing but also a way to develop discipline, focus and resilience—qualities I also apply in my professional environment.
10. What is the last book you read or film you watched?
One of the last films I watched was Proyecto Salvación.
I found it particularly interesting because it combines science, problem-solving and collaboration from a very practical perspective. The story highlights something that is also key in our work: how scientific knowledge, when oriented toward solving real challenges, can have a huge impact.
It also conveys well the idea that innovation is not a linear process, but a combination of trial, error and constant adaptation. This is a mindset we share at IngreDiZymes: understanding mechanisms, iterating and building solutions that truly work.
11. Business is based on…
Business is based on trust. And in our case, that trust is built on real scientific rigor and previous success stories (even as a research group), which have led us to where we are today.
