Technology driven by nature

AMSilk GmbH, headquartered in Neuried near Munich, is one of the world’s first industrial supplier of smart biotech-produced materials based on silk proteins. We are a team of more than 70 ambitious and talented individuals from a variety of interdisciplinary backgrounds who are pushing boundaries in the field of biotech-produced materials. As an innovation-driven company we are dedicated to developing breakthrough technologies for the production and commercialization of next generation materials.
AMSilk: Advanced materials based on silk proteins.

Our vision

The world stands at a tipping point. We are experiencing an unprecedented need to change the way we think and act. Society has embraced biotechnology and increasing integration of sustainable, non fossil-based and non animal-based products into our everyday lives is an important step for the future.
AMSilk is a major player in this transformation. We believe nature offers better alternatives to existing using previously unimaginable biological technologies. Our goal is to provide intelligent biofabricated materials – based on renewable raw materials, biodegradable, fully recyclable, with a lower carbon footprint, and superior performance to the petroleum-based, animal-based or other natural alternatives.

Our vision is to enable true change in major industries and for consumers` lives through intelligent biotech materials.

Leading the change with our biofabricated materials

Making smart biotech materials part of everyday life - AMSilk in munich

Our heritage

In 2008 the founders of AMSilk started with the idea to make spider thread available in industrial quantities. Spider silk is one of the most fascinating materials on earth: two and a half times stronger than steel, and extremely versatile. However, farming natural spider silk has unfortunately not proven to be scalable. The key to success is using biotechnology. AMSilk was one of the prime movers to invent large structural proteins that can replace other chemical products or products of animal origin and has developed a biofabricated process to produce complex proteins in large bio-industrial plants. Since then we have grown from a start-up into a well-established, reputable industry partner.

prime mover to invent large structural proteins

Our heritage - Making smart biotech materials part of everyday life - AMSilk in munich

Our Products

AMSilk turns man-made proteins into silk formulations including fibers and yarns for textile applications, sprayable formulations, hydrogels and silk powder for medical use or consumer goods. By programming material properties at a molecular level, we can customize according to the final application or properties required. Thus, AMSilk can deliver silk-based advanced material for a variety of applications ranging from super fine yarn for silk-like outer fabric, to super resistant yarns for advanced materials, such as composites or sport shoes. In medical use, our silk-based advanced material is used to coat breast implants to prevent infection and reduce post-operative complications.

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Protein powder

Protein gel

Production of fiber - Protein Silk - AMSilk - Smart biotech materials for everyday life

Yarns and fibers

Recyclable

100% biodegradable

High-performance

Biocompatible

Safe for the human body

Our Values

Innovation
The heartbeat of our company. We unlock ground-breaking potential by combining creativity, scientific excellence, and the highest standards. Every idea is valued, driving us to even better solutions and the delivery of world-changing products.

Customer Orientation
We help our customers make a difference in their industries. With our biological technology we support our customers to make the planet a better place by replacing petroleum and animal derived products with plant-based innovations.

Impact
We create value based on sustainable growth. We strive to be a global leader and extend our bioengineered protein technology into multiple industries and applications. We believe in the value of long-term relationships.

Responsibility
We take full responsibility for our decisions, actions and results! We are committed to protecting the environment and are responsible corporate citizens. We strive for the highest standards of personal conduct. Fairness and integrity guide our behavior.

Together
Teamwork is the key to our success! We are devoted to the well-being and personal development of our em-ployees. We reject discrimination and harass-ment, promoting an inclusive and multi-cultural environment.

Code of Conduct

Our shareholders fully support our vision to make the world’s best and most sustainable biomaterials accessible to everyone - AMSilk

Our management philosophy

AMSilk’s Management Team is highly experienced, including the brightest minds in science who helped invent biotech-produced silk-based proteins, as well as experienced industry and finance executives. We are driving the change towards making the world’s best and most sustainable bioengineered silk-based materials accessible to everyone.

AMSilk - Making smart biotech materials for everday life

Management

Ulrich Scherbel
CEO

Since studying textile chemistry, Ulrich Scherbel has acquired more than 25 years of global expertise in performance textiles. He has held various positions in multinational companies in the areas of business development, sales, operations and general management. Prior to joining AMSilk, he served as General Manager Global Apparel Division at Freudenberg Performance Materials, a leading global company in the field of innovative textiles.
Ulrich Scherbel joined AMSilk in 2020 as COO and was appointed CEO in 2021. In this role, he continues to drive business growth, as well as lead the strategic expansion into new industries and applications. Scherbel’s vision is that AMSilk’s biotechnology and protein products will continue to encourage our customers to change to better and more sustainable products in their industries. This generates enduring change for customers and consumers.

Ralph Fraundorfer
CFO

Ralph Fraundorfer is an experienced finance executive. After graduating from his studies in business administration in Passau and Kiel, he started his professional career at Shell, followed by Vitra and Syngenta, where he first worked as Project Manager across twelve countries in the Asia-Pacific before being promoted to Global Financial Controller for Research & Development. This was followed by the position of Regional Finance Director at Actelion Pharmaceuticals, a dynamic scale-up with peak annual sales of CHF 2 billion. Prior to joining AMSilk, Ralph was CFO of Tropic Biosciences, a pioneer in the field of agricultural gene editing, where he built the finance function from scratch, enabling strong growth from 40 to over 150 employees and successfully closing several financing rounds. Ralph Fraundorfer is passionate about positioning AMSilk as a global supplier of advanced materials and will play a crucial role in bringing AMSilk to the next level of commercialization.

Gudrun Vogtentanz
CSO

Gudrun Vogtentanz has held the newly created position of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) since October 2023. In this role Gudrun Vogtentanz will be responsible for AMSilk’s protein and strain strategy as well as bridging science and business development. With many years in the field of biotechnology research, Gudrun has a proven international track record in project and portfolio management, as well as R&D product development. She joins from DSM Nutritional Products in Switzerland, where she was Innovation Program Director, establishing new portfolio processes and leading strategic innovation projects. Prior to that, she was Research Program Director at Biomin Holding, where she oversaw the enzyme portfolio for animal nutrition and health. Gudrun also worked more than 15 years in the US, among others as a scientist at DuPont Industrial Biosciences, based in Palo Alto, CA, where she established protein engineering processes shortening time-to-market and led crossfunctional teams.

Ctibor Kohutovic
CPO

As the Chief Production Officer (CPO) of AMSilk, Ctibor Kohutovic brings extensive experience in global production processes, process improvement and contract manufacturing to the Company. His career began in 1998 as a Fermentation Process Engineer at Evonik’s Fermas site. He then held various positions at Evonik, in North America and later in Slovakia, including roles such as Senior Financial Analyst, Head of Controlling and Process Improvement Manager and Strategic Project Manager, and CMO Business Development Manager in Slovakia. Prior to joining AMSilk, he oversaw Strategic Projects at Evonik Operations and served as Site Controller at Evonik Fermas. Ctibor Kohutovic enhances the skills and competence of AMSilk’s Management Team as the Company scales and ramps up production. He will lead the expansion of production capabilities for AMSilk and foster collaboration with our CMO partners.

Leadership team

Benoît Cugnet

Fiber BU

Dr. Andreas Schmideder

New Technologies

Ursula Fabian

Human Resources

Isabel Rosenberger

Marketing and Communications

Dr. Tobias Kraxenberger

Protein Production and Formulation

Reinhard Fent

Supply Chain Management

Advisory Board

Dr. Wolfgang Colberg
Chairman
Industrial Partner

Michael Motschmann - AMSilk Advisory Board - Vice Chairman

Michael Motschmann
Vice Chairman
General Partner and member of the Executive Board at MIG Fonds

Daniel Kolb - AMSilk Advisory Board - Advisory Board Member

Daniel Kolb
Advisory Board Member
Direct Investments at ATHOS KG

Mauricio Graber - AMSilk Advisory Board - Advisory Board Member

Mauricio Graber
Advisory Board Member
Board Member at Novo Holdings A/S

Marcus Remmers - AMSilk Advisory Board - Advisory Board Member

Dr. Marcus Remmers
Advisory Board Member
Partner at Novo Holdings A/S

Sustainable partnerships

Our goal is to build long-term partnerships. Together with our customers we develop joint visions and clearly define the roles of all stakeholders, enabling us to build sustainable business models that add maximum value for both parties.

We care about every customer in our partnership network and warmly welcome all new clients.

Our business model is based on collaboration

Innovation needs collaboration - Partnership with AMSilk

Supply Network

Through our focus on open innovation, we have built up a strong and resilient supply network and work with world-leading production partners in accordance with the highest quality standards. We have made it our priority to build trusted relationships and establish long-term supply agreements with our partners. We are currently looking to extend our supply network. Please get in touch if you would like to support us with protein or fiber production.

Become a long-term supplier