Baljit Ghotra
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
EQUII
Baljit is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the Agri-Food Technology sector, where he has seamlessly blended the roles of scientist, innovator, and entrepreneur. Driven by a mission to revolutionize taste and nutritional profiles of foods, he endeavors to create delicious and healthier food options for people across the planet.
Currently serving as the Co-founder and Co-CEO of EQUII, a Food Tech startup supported by venture capital, Baljit is at the forefront of a transformative journey. At EQUII, he leads the strategic deployment of a patent-pending fermentation technology, producing nutritionally complete proteins and food products. The company's commitment extends to delivering a complete amino acid profile, encompassing all 9 essential amino acids, akin to soy or animal protein. Baljit's focus at EQUII has resulted in the development of commercial products like protein bread and high-protein pasta, which not only offer complete proteins but also boast reduced carbohydrates without compromising on taste and texture.
Before co-founding EQUII, Baljit held a pivotal role as the Senior Vice President of Food Innovation at Nature's Fynd, a fungi protein startup venture. Here, he strategically steered efforts that led to the successful commercialization of dairy-free and meatless products. Prior to this, he served as the Vice President of Food Research at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), where he led global teams in the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative processes and products derived from grains and fermentation technology. His role at ADM also involved spearheading techno-economic diligence for the company's strategic ventures in synthetic biology and alternative protein.
Baljit's educational journey includes earning his doctorate degree from the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Alberta, Canada, spanning from 2002 to 2006. His Ph.D. research significantly contributed to the successful commercialization of a groundbreaking ingredient technology. Notably, he received a distinguished award from Alberta Ingenuity, Canada, facilitating the technology scale-up, which he co-patented and was later acquired by Naturex in 2008. Baljit's trajectory exemplifies a lifelong commitment to pushing the boundaries of Agri-Food Technology and making a lasting impact on the industry.
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