Petri Dishes & Policy Shifts: Capgemini’s Richard Traherne on Scaling Biology

Written By Lizette Couto

Karl and Erum speak with Richard Traherne of Capgemini Invent and Cambridge Consultants, where they explore the explosive convergence of engineering biology, artificial intelligence, and sustainable innovation. Richard reveals how programmable biology is catalyzing a new industrial revolution—transitioning biotech from niche innovation to foundational infrastructure across sectors like food, fashion, personal care, and manufacturing. From building predictive bio-labs to deploying proprietary large language models for enzyme design, Richard shares how his team is helping companies leap from conceptual curiosity to commercial readiness. The conversation dives into challenges faced by both bio-literate and bio-novice enterprises, the importance of storytelling and regulatory support, and how a truly bio-native design mindset can unlock regenerative, high-performance solutions. This episode is a must-listen for biotech professionals, sustainability strategists, and innovation leaders eager to scale with intention in the emerging bioeconomy.

Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 - Stepping Into the Era of Programmable Biology

  • 00:01:04 - Inside a Workshop on Designing Life with Code

  • 00:06:31 - Longevity Breakthroughs: Tackling Aging with Biotech

  • 00:08:40 - The Beauty Revolution Powered by Regenerative Biology

  • 00:12:31 - Turning Biotech Ideas into Market-Ready Innovations

  • 00:14:05 - Spotlight Conversation with Richard Traherne

  • 00:32:34 - Slashing Discovery Costs in Energy and Fuels

  • 00:33:03 - The Real-World Hurdles of Bringing Biology to Life

  • 00:33:41 - Winning Trust in Bioengineered Solutions

  • 00:36:13 - Scaling Biology to Power the Global Bioeconomy

  • 00:41:12 - How AI Is Supercharging Biotechnology

  • 00:44:42 - Engineering Biology for a Sustainable Future

  • 00:48:39 - Game-Changing Bio Projects and Their Ripple Effects

  • 00:52:30 - What’s Next for the Future of Engineering Biology

  • 00:55:32 - Quickfire Insights and Closing Thoughts

Episode Links:

Lizette Couto
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