We are Phytolon

Since founded in 2018 by biotechnology entrepreneurs, Phytolon combines highly qualified R&D technologists with highly experienced board and partners, all aiming at utilizing scientific advancement to promote human health and environmental sustainability, by bringing biotechnology-based products to the market. Our top-quality team is also structured to exploit the full potential of the local and global societies by maintaining gender-based equality and minority representation.

Halim Jubran, PhD
Co-Founder & CEO

Halim holds a PhD in Biotechnology, combining several years of experience in project management in the global biotech industry, with broad scientific and technological knowledge in life sciences.

Tal Zeltzer, PhD
Co-founder & CTO

Tal holds a PhD in Biotechnology and Food-Engineering. Tal is a specialist in fermentation and downstream processes, along with strong background in molecular biology and biochemistry.

Investors & Partners

Board & Advisory

Steve Dubin
Chairman

Steve is one of the most impactful figures in the fermentation and the food industry, with impressive achievements upon managing and advising venture-backed, high-grown companies. Steve is the former CEO of Martek Biosciences, former senior advisor at DSM, and former Chairman at Enzymotec.

Christina Schwab, PhD
Board Director

Cristina is an Investment Director at DSM Venturing. Before joining DSM Venturing, Christina, was Head of M&A and Group Strategy of ERRBER Group, successfully leading international acquisition and investment projects. Christina is holding a doctoral degree in Food- and Biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Life Science in Austria.

Chris Thoen, PhD

Advisory Board

Chris is a Senior R&D, Innovation & Consumer Products executive with 35 years of extensive technical and program leadership experience in fast-moving consumer goods. This includes Food & Beverages and commercial branded products, technology development, ingredient innovation, and supplier relationship building. He had management responsibilities at Procter & Gamble, Givaudan and Bühler.

Yossi Ackerman
Advisory Board

Yossi served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Elbit Systems Ltd., the holding company of Elbit Security Systems Ltd. and Harpia Sistemas S.A. He is a part of the advisory board at Phytolon.

Chanan Schneider

Board Director

Chanan is the CEO of Millennium Foodtech, a traded fund that specializes in investments in companies in food tech sectors. Chanan is an experienced entrepreneur and CEO. He founded and managed The Food-Tech Incubator in Kiryat Shmona, Israel, partnering with Tempo, Tnuva, OurCrowd, and The U.S. VC Fund Finistere.

Barak Singer

Board Director

Barak is the CEO of Trendlines Investments Israel. Barak has over 15 years of experience in management, business development, investment banking, and venture capital. Before joining Trendlines, Barak held several senior management positions, in investment bankingand venture capitals.

Mori Arkin

Investor

Moshe “Mori” Arkin is the Founder and Chairman of Arkin Holdings. Mr. Arkin is one of Israel’s most successful life sciences and pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. Arkin Holdings owns a healthcare portfolio of $1 billion through four investment arms, with holdings in some 20 Israeli companies developing pharmaceutical drugs and equipment. Previously Mr. Arkin headed Agis which he grew into a leading dermatological company in the US until its acquisition by Perrigo in 2005 for $818 million.

Edi Eliezer, MSc

VP Manufacturing

Edi has 35+ years of experience in bringing fermentation-based food ingredients and pharma products to the market. Edi’s experience in the Bio-Tech Industry in increasing leadership positions in various technology & business platforms and global locations (USA, Europe, Brazil, India, China, S. Korea). He has experience in both Operations (R&D, Manufacturing) and Engineering (cGMP process & facility design), with global companies such as Ingredion, Abbott, DuPont, Raytheon, Fluor, and Samsung.

Guy Polturak, PhD

Co-founder & Scientific Consultant

Guy is a key inventor of Phytolon’s technology and led the research on the biochemistry of betalains-based colors and plant-metabolomics at the Weizmann Institute, the first author of patent applications and scientific papers. Guy is a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow at John Innes Centre, UK, with a specialty in natural metabolites.

Prof. Asaph Aharoni
Technology inventor

Prof. Aharoni is a pioneer in the global scientific community of plant metabolomics and plant genomics, and a leading and highly awarded scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He has over 180 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and over 20 patent applications.

Ofir Dubovi