Mark Herrema is the co-founder and CEO of Newlight Technologies, a California-based biotechnology company that uses greenhouse gases to produce a high-performance biomaterial called AirCarbon. Founded in 2003, Herrema’s company spent over a decade developing a method to capture methane emissions—from sources like dairy farms and abandoned coal mines—and feed them to naturally occurring microorganisms. These microbes convert the gas into a meltable energy storage molecule (PHB) that functions as a carbon-negative alternative to plastic and leather. Under Herrema’s leadership, Newlight has commercialized this technology through consumer brands like Covalent (fashion) and Restore (foodware), while securing major partnerships with global giants such as Nike, Shake Shack, and IBM to scale the fight against climate change and plastic pollution.
In the fight against climate change, few figures have bridged the gap between environmental idealism and commercial reality as effectively as Mark Herrema. As the CEO and co-founder of Newlight Technologies, Herrema has pioneered a third way to handle greenhouse gases: neither taxing them nor burying them underground, but using them.
His life’s work centers on AirCarbon, a material that mimics a process found in nature where organisms use carbon to grow. By industrializing this process, Herrema has created a supply chain where the more product you make—whether it’s sunglasses, cutlery, or car parts—the more carbon you remove from the atmosphere. This “market-driven decarbonization” strategy positions him as a central figure in the modern green economy.
Early Life and The “Aha” Moment
Mark Herrema’s journey into biotechnology was unconventional. Unlike many tech CEOs who emerge from engineering programs, Herrema graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in Politics and Political Theory. However, he supplemented this with rigorous coursework in physics, mathematics, and chemistry, a multidisciplinary approach that would define his career.
The Cow Methane Inspiration
The inception of Newlight Technologies can be traced back to a specific moment in 2003. Herrema read an article in the Los Angeles Times about the massive amount of methane emitted by cows and the regulatory struggle to contain it. At the time, the prevailing solutions were carbon taxes (economic penalties) or carbon sequestration (burying gas underground).
Herrema viewed these as “less bad” solutions rather than “good” ones. He observed that in nature, carbon is not a pollutant but a building block of life. Trees, coral reefs, and microorganisms all consume carbon to build their structures.He posed a fundamental question: “If nature can use greenhouse gas to build materials, why can’t we?”
This question led him to team up with his childhood friend, Kenton Kimmel, to explore if they could replicate this natural process on an industrial scale.
The Founding of Newlight Technologies
In 2003, Herrema and Kimmel founded Newlight Technologies in California. What followed was not an overnight success, but a grueling 10-year period of research and development.
The “Valley of Death” (2003–2013)
For a decade, the company operated in “stealth mode,” navigating the notorious “valley of death” that claims many clean-tech startups. The challenge was not just making the material—scientists had known for years that methanotrophic bacteria could produce PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate)—but making it cost-effectively.
Previous attempts to make PHB from methane were too expensive, with the plastic costing three to four times more than oil-based alternatives. Herrema understood that to win, the green product had to be cheaper and better than the pollutant, not just eco-friendly.
The Breakthrough: Turning Off the Switch
The pivotal moment came when Herrema’s team discovered a way to “turn off” the negative feedback receptor in the biocatalyst (the enzyme inside the microorganism). Typically, when a microorganism is full of polymer, it stops eating. Newlight’s breakthrough allowed the organisms to keep consuming methane and producing polymer far beyond their natural limits.
This innovation increased the yield ratio from 1:1 to 9:1 (nine pounds of polymer for every one pound of biocatalyst). This massive efficiency gain crashed the cost of production, finally allowing AirCarbon to compete with oil-based plastics on price.
AirCarbon Technology Explained
To understand Herrema’s impact, one must understand the material he commercialized. AirCarbon is the trade name for PHB, a molecule made by life, not a synthetic polymer made by man.
How It Works: The Bioconversion Process
- Capture: Newlight captures methane emissions (CH4) or carbon dioxide (CO2) from sources like dairy digesters, landfills, or energy facilities.
- Fermentation: The gas is mixed with air and introduced into a saltwater bioreactor housing naturally occurring microorganisms.
- Consumption: The microorganisms consume the carbon and oxygen. Inside their cells, they convert this “food” into a pure white energy storage material—similar to how humans store fat.
- Extraction: The material is extracted, purified, and dried into a white powder or pellet.
- Molding: These pellets can be melted and molded just like traditional plastic, but with entirely different properties.
Material Properties
- Carbon Negative: Because the input is captured greenhouse gas, the production process actually reduces the amount of carbon in the air.
- Biodegradable: Unlike synthetic plastic, AirCarbon is a natural material. It is certified home compostable, industrial compostable, and soil/marine degradable. If it ends up in the ocean, it is consumed by microorganisms as food.+2
- Performance: It is strong, durable, and heat-resistant, suitable for everything from flexible films to rigid furniture parts.
Commercialization: Covalent and Restore
Mark Herrema recognized that selling pellets to manufacturers wasn’t enough; he needed to prove the material to consumers directly. Newlight launched two internal brands to showcase AirCarbon.
Covalent: Carbon-Negative Fashion
Covalent is Herrema’s high-end fashion line. It produces eyewear, handbags, and accessories made from AirCarbon.+1
- Traceability: In a partnership with IBM Blockchain, every Covalent product comes with a specific “Carbon Date.”Consumers can enter this code on the website to see exactly when and where the AirCarbon in their specific item was created, and the precise amount of carbon diverted from the atmosphere.
- Aesthetics: The brand positions sustainability as a luxury, proving that green products do not need to look “crunchy” or compromised.
Restore: Ending Single-Use Plastic
Restore Foodware targets the massive problem of disposable cutlery and straws.
- The Problem: Paper straws get soggy; PLA (corn plastic) straws don’t degrade in the ocean.
- The Solution: AirCarbon straws feel like plastic—they don’t get soggy—but they degrade naturally if lost in the environment.
- Adoption: Restore cutlery has been adopted by major chains who want the performance of plastic without the guilt or environmental regulation liability.
Major Partnerships and Global Scale
Herrema’s strategy involves scaling through partners who have massive global footprints. By integrating AirCarbon into their supply chains, Newlight amplifies its carbon-negative impact.
- Shake Shack: In a highly visible partnership, Shake Shack began replacing plastic cutlery and straws with AirCarbon products at various locations, testing the consumer appetite for carbon-negative dining.
- Nike: In 2021, Newlight announced a partnership with Nike to explore the use of AirCarbon in athletic footwear and apparel, aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of high-performance gear.
- Sumitomo Chemical: This Japanese giant partnered with Newlight to develop AirCarbon for the automotive and textile industries, opening the door to carbon-negative car interiors.
- Dell & IKEA: Early in its commercial phase, Newlight secured agreements with Dell (for packaging) and IKEA, validating the material’s industrial viability.
Impact on Climate Change Philosophy
Mark Herrema is a vocal advocate for a specific philosophy regarding climate action: Symbiosis over Sacrifice.
He argues that the environmental movement has historically relied on asking people to do less (drive less, buy less, use less). While noble, he believes this is insufficient to stop climate change. Instead, he advocates for systems where the “selfish” choice (buying the better, cheaper product) is also the “environmental” choice. By turning greenhouse gas into a valuable resource, he creates an economic incentive to capture carbon, turning pollution into profit.
Awards and Recognition
Mark Herrema and Newlight Technologies have received extensive acclaim for their work:
- Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award: Awarded by the U.S. EPA for the breakthrough in biocatalyst efficiency.
- Technology Pioneer: Recognized by the World Economic Forum (Davos).
- Biomaterial of the Year: Awarded by the Nova Institute.
- Stevie Awards: Herrema was named “Innovator of the Year” for his leadership in navigating the 10-year R&D phase.
- Popular Science: “Innovation of the Year” for AirCarbon.
Practical Information and Planning
How to Buy AirCarbon Products
If you want to support Mark Herrema’s vision, you can purchase products directly.
- Covalent Fashion: Available online at the official Covalent website.
- Restore Foodware: Available for bulk purchase by businesses, but also found in select retail channels like Target or Whole Foods (availability varies).
- Shake Shack: Visit participating locations (primarily in California, New York, and Florida) to use AirCarbon cutlery.
Newlight Technologies HQ
- Location: Huntington Beach, California. This facility, often called “The Eagle,” serves as the primary production and R&D hub.
- Tours: generally not open to the public due to proprietary technology and safety regulations.
Career Opportunities
Newlight frequently hires for roles in chemical engineering, microbiology, and operations. Listings are typically found on their LinkedIn page or careers portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Mark Herrema the sole founder of Newlight Technologies? No, Mark Herrema co-founded Newlight Technologies in 2003 with his childhood friend Kenton Kimmel, who serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
2. Is AirCarbon actually plastic? Technically, it is a polymer (PHB), which behaves like plastic. However, unlike synthetic plastics made from petroleum, AirCarbon is a naturally occurring molecule found in life. It is “plastic” in performance, but “biological” in nature.
3. How much carbon does AirCarbon capture? The production process is carbon negative. For every kilogram of AirCarbon produced, significantly more CO2 equivalent is sequestered from the air than is emitted during production, especially when using renewable energy sources.
4. Where did Mark Herrema go to college? Mark Herrema graduated magna cum laude from Princeton Universitywith a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Political Theory.
5. Can I invest in Newlight Technologies? As of early 2026, Newlight Technologies remains a private company. It is venture-backed and has received funding from institutional investors like Valo Ventures and others, but it is not publicly traded on the stock market.
6. Does AirCarbon decompose in the ocean? Yes. AirCarbon is certified marine degradable. Because it is a food source for microorganisms, it will biodegrade in ocean environments, unlike PLA or oil-based plastics which essentially last forever.
7. Why did it take 10 years to launch? The primary hurdle was yield. For the first decade, the bacteria would stop producing the polymer once they were “full.” It took 10 years to engineer a biocatalyst that ignored this shut-off switch, allowing for cost-effective mass production.
8. What is the difference between Covalent and Restore? Covalent is Newlight’s consumer fashion brand (eyewear, accessories), while Restore is their foodware brand (cutlery, straws). Both use AirCarbon, but target different markets.
9. Is Mark Herrema a scientist? While not holding a PhD in biology, Herrema has nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in process engineering and polymer functionalization. He is the lead inventor on many of Newlight’s core patents.
10. Where is Newlight Technologies located? The company is headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, where they operate their commercial-scale production facility.
11. What gas does Newlight use? They primarily use methane (CH4) captured from farms, landfills, and water treatment plants, but their technology can also utilize CO2 in certain configurations.
12. Is AirCarbon vegan? Yes, AirCarbon is made by microorganisms (bacteria), not animals. It is considered a vegan, cruelty-free alternative to leather.
Mark Herrema on Reversing Climate Change
This video features Mark Herrema providing a detailed update on Newlight Technologies, explaining the shift toward consumer products like foodware and fashion, and discussing the nuances of the carbon market.
