The Business Leadership Podcast

You are listening to the Business
Leadership Podcast with Edwin.

edwin ai: good morning, good
afternoon, good evening.

Welcome to the Future
Narratives podcast, mini series.

I am Edwin Frondozo.

I'm the host of the
Business Leadership Podcast.

We are here with the top three finalists.

From the Web Summit Vancouver 2025
pitch competition we're exploring how,

uh, where we're exploring how today's
leaders shape the future, not just

through strategy, but through story.

We believe that a strong point of
view is what inspires communities,

builds movements, and cuts through
the noise in uncertain times.

So let's dive into this
conversation today.

We're joined by Sarah Graham,
co-founder of Lone and the winner.

Of this year's Web Summit Vancouver
Pitch Competition Light one is

redefining how we think about color
using microbiome biofabrication to

create sustainable pigments with purpose.

from the vision of two internationally
recognized bio designers.

Light one is not just the
company but of movement.

One that puts impact before profit
and daress to transform one of the

world's most polluting industries
in a model of regeneration.

welcome to the Business
Leadership Podcast.

How are you doing today?

Sarah Graham: I am great.

Thank you.

Um, having the chance to talk about
Light one's mission is one of my favorite

things, so I'm really excited to be here.

I.

edwin ai: Well, I'm excited that you
were able to take time to join us

and to share and just to, you know,
get a little more insight about who

you are and what you're building

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

edwin ai: So I guess starting
from there, Sarah, can you, I

guess for those who are listening,
who are those who are tuning in?

If you could tell us about Light One
the problem that you are solving in

the global color and design industry.

Sarah Graham: So Le one was born from
this deep need to change how we color

our world, um, and with a vision for
a cleaner, safer future for everybody.

So color is such a powerful
part of the human expression.

Um, but behind all of that vibrancy
of like what we wear, what we use

and surround ourselves with is this
deeply toxic, invisible industry.

So every year over eight, uh,
80,000 tons of synthetic dyes

are used just for fashion.

So these are petroleum based dyes
that are extracted from our planet

and processed into these colorants.

And 20% of the global wastewater,
um, comes from dying fabrics.

So the toxic chemicals that
are used in this process often.

End up in rivers and water
systems, devastating ecosystems and

causing serious health problems.

So to people that are working
within these die houses, but also

communities surrounding the this area.

So cancers, respiratory illnesses, um,
these are all super common and have

been linked back to these die houses
and the chemicals that are being used.

So all of this harm is just for the sake
of making, you know, beautiful clothing.

So my co-founder Roya and I
came, uh, from the design world.

I was a fashion designer and
she was an industrial designer.

Uh, but we both eventually found ourselves
working in microbiology to design more

sustainable materials and systems.

It was really interesting once we started,
you know, we met and were telling each

other our kind of path to get here.

We were kind of in these like.

Incredibly similar parallel
past, but we had never met.

Um, so both really from that design
aspect kind of fed up with the impacts

that our industry is making on the
planet and just consumed with the

incredible innovation that's in nature.

Um, so working in biodesign and really
understanding how living systems can

allow us to build more sustainably.

That kind of led us all to, to
light one and coming together.

So we just started, uh,
decided to start this company

edwin ai: company

Sarah Graham: that would show how
colorful and capable the microscopic world

really is and how we can use nature as
a blueprint for that better way forward.

Um, and we do that.

There's a huge array of microbes
in the world, and they naturally

produce vibrant, beautiful colors.

So at Light One, we're leveraging
the functions of those microbes

to bio manufacture clean, circular
colorants for use in textile paint,

cosmetic food industries, and more.

Pretty much anywhere you see
physical color, one day it

will be a light one color.

edwin ai: Amazing.

I mean that's, I mean, that hit the, you
know, as you talk about this, and Sarah,

this is what was going through my mind.

I'm just thinking about.

You know, all the clothes, even this black
dye, which is probably not a real dye or

or whatnot, it's just like this affects

Sarah Graham: Mm-hmm.

edwin ai: I'm willing to bet, and
you could tell me differently, that

most people have no idea the effect
is, especially when it, we talk about

fast industry, a fast fashion, and we
don't have to go down that rabbit hole.

'cause I'm, I have, I have friends
that are in, you know, going

against fast fashion as well.

But like, tell me like.

Like, what is that impact really?

I know you talk, you listed it and, and
I'm sure you talk about it, but like when

you talk about that problem even that gap
that you're trying to solve here, like

what, what are the biggest challenges
that you are finding right now in terms

of, I guess, the uptake or getting
industry to change what they're doing?

Sarah Graham: Yeah, so the industry is
actually kind of desperate for a change.

So up until now, um,
color has been overlooked.

So sustainability efforts have really
focused on solid materials, like,

you know, polyester in, in fabrics.

If you're thinking about food, it's
like focusing on seed oils instead

of the colorants that are used.

So, um, the dyes and pigments
that go into products.

There's so still so much, um,
petrochemical and unregulated.

It's one of the most toxic
industries that people never see.

So, um, the, that has started to shift
now where people are looking beyond that

and really understanding that color.

There's so much chemicals that go into
this, and not just at the use phase,

but in the, the, um, synthesis of them,
the extraction of the raw components.

All the way into the end of life and
what they're doing when they end up in

landfill, which, you know, back to fast
fashion, uh, almost, you know, everything

is, is disposed of after a year or less.

Um, so, and all of those aspects
is kind of coming to light now.

And so the industry is actually
really searching for this, but

they haven't been able to adopt,
um, successfully, um, technologies

and color that will really scale.

So what's on the, um, on the
market right now when you're

looking at clean colorants?

There, there's, um, like plant-based
dyes or, you know, natural dyes all

come from plants, minerals or insects.

Um, and plant-based dyes are beautiful
and they have a use case, but they

can't scale because the land usage that
they need, the pesticide use, the water

that use, like those are traditional,
beautiful crafts, but you cannot.

Employ them at the scale
that synthetics are.

So they're not a real alternative when
you're looking at the whole problem.

Um, so the, yeah.

The technologies that have come
out are, are really not scalable or

viable at the cost or performance.

So the performance of, um, plant-based
dies as well are, are not meeting

the standards of the industry.

So for us, that's a huge, um, opportunity
point because we are matching or

exceeding expectations with our
micro microbial dye, we can produce.

Tons of dye in a small, um, land area
with waste as our resources and they're

biodegradable and don't have those
same problems that synthetics do.

So it's kind of the best of both worlds.

Um, and that's really hitting home
with, with our customers in the

industry, and they're ready for this.

edwin ai: Yeah, I mean, it's, it's
amazing and I'm, I'm really like just

talking to you here, just thinking
about the positive impact, um, that

will happen as you go through, it gets,
as it scales and more people start.

it, or more suppliers or manufacturers
start really trying it, um,

using it and, and leveraging it.

Sarah, I'm curious, as we talk
about future narrator, um, you

know, your background, your unique
point of view, like what, what

do you bring to this problem?

And I know you did mention, uh, um, you
know, you come from the industry, but,

but what really got you thinking about it
and how you see things differently now?

Sarah Graham: Yeah, I think what
sets us apart is, um, that we

approach this from the designer
mindset and the scientist lens.

So as bio designers,
you think holistically.

So we're looking at this, um,
environmental problem, but we're

also designing systems around it.

So we've been the customer, like
I said, we've sat the other side

of the table as a designer and
had been pitched new materials.

So I understand what gets
adopted and what doesn't.

And we're building this
company with that insight.

So it's not, you know, just about
the novelty, but the performance

and scalability, cost, aesthetics.

Um, so that's why these brands are
really excited about what we're doing.

Um.

And we're working with these bacterias,
like mini factories, so we're cultivating

them to produce these pigments in
a clean, controlled, circular way.

So it's like that nature meets deep tech.

Um.

And yeah, I could talk honestly for hours
about bacteria and how incredible they

are in the microbial world and like it
really reminds me of space a little bit.

When you think about space, it
exists at a scale that's hard to

grasp and it's full of unknowns, and
there's incredible potential there.

And these organisms like microorganisms,
they're some of the most.

Powerful chemists on earth, and they've
really evolved to produce a stunning

range of compounds, including pigments.

So it's not just that bacteria make
colors, they can make all kinds of

things that we need and we use daily,
um, that we could, you know, be employing

these little micro factories to be,
be making that a lot more sustainably.

Um, yeah, there's incredible chemical
diversity in, in microbes, and so at

Light One, we're harnessing that power.

To make the color, um.

edwin ai: Yeah, that's it.

It's so interesting and I'm just like
imagining what, what these places

look like and you're, and it sounds
like to me you're leveraging a lot of

the partnerships in terms of people
who create these microbiome like.

Centers, I guess, I dunno what you call

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

Um,

edwin ai: Yeah.

Sarah Graham: yeah, so if you're thinking
about how we produce it, you could

kind of think about how you're, you
make beer, so it's in these large fats.

Um, there's liquid that has
all of the components that

these microbes need to thrive.

Um, so we make them, you know, like.

They're little paradise
in these bioreactors.

And in turn, they're able to churn out
the colors or the different chemicals

that, um, we're aiming to produce.

edwin ai: Mm-hmm.

Sarah Graham: so in Canada that's very
limited, so biomanufacturing as a.

Industry is very limited within Canada.

Um, in BC there's not much we
could plug into with partnerships.

It's really, if you wanna do it
here, you have to build your own,

um, which is incredibly expensive.

So we've actually been able to leverage
partnerships in other parts of Canada.

Um, Nova Scotia is an amazing
place for Biomanufacturing,

the provincial government.

Has really focused on building
that as, um, kind of the

biomanufacturing hub of Canada.

So there's a lot of funding
going into infrastructure

and talent, um, in that area.

edwin ai: Mm-hmm.

Sarah Graham: we've been able to
connect with, um, a nonprofit.

I.

There that's run set up by the provincial
government and have access to their

equipment, their bioreactors at the pilot
scale, all the way up to right before we

need to transition into commercial scale.

And that's been a lifesaver.

So, um, yeah, the, the equipment
partnerships, um, for scale

up has been essential for us.

edwin ai: That's, that's really cool.

Um.

know as, as we talk about really the
issues and the environmental aid, like

where did this I give this purpose driven,

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

edwin ai: um, come from, from you?

Like what, why does it really
matter to you personally?

Like, what, what, what happened, I guess
when you came into the workforce or

maybe even before, like, what, why, why
does this really like, 'cause it's not

Sarah Graham: No.

edwin ai: but it's, it's fulfilling,

Sarah Graham: Yeah, so this
company is really the convergence

of so many of my passions.

Um, so I can start a little bit with
how I got here and then what's my why.

Um.

I had always, you know, wanted
to be a fashion designer.

Um, when I was kind of growing up, I, I,
I absolutely loved art and design and I

also loved science, but they were kind
of these like opposing, um, concepts.

You know, you were either
scientific or, you know, scholarly

and math driven or that sort of
thing, or you were in the arts.

They weren't.

There was no crossover.

Um, so that, I really didn't like that.

But, uh, once I got into fashion design,
um, that was kind of the combining of

those two as far as I could understand.

You know, you had that analytical,
um, mathematics of, of, uh, the

architecture of clothing and, and
pattern drafting and all of that

with that creativity component.

Um, so that was really exciting.

But as I was working through the
industry, I was kind of confronted with.

The huge impact environmentally
that this industry has.

Um, and also how it kind of treats the
people that are working within its system.

Um, I was actually working at Joe
Fresh when the RONA Plaza, um,

collapse happened, which was, um,
a major disaster in Bangladesh.

Um, and, you know, over 1400 people
died in a factory that, um, I was

working at a company who, you know, was.

Profiting off of that.

So that was a really big switch in my
mind where I was like, I am only going

to be working at companies that I feel
like have a purpose beyond commerce.

Um, so that kind of led me through
the fashion world working at really

interesting impact, um, brands.

Um, but I got super consumed with.

Innovation and materials and a lot
of these new, um, fabrics like at

the time, which now is very, um,
commonplace, but recycled polyester

or like coffee grinds being used
as finishings for antimicrobial,

like sweating and things like that.

Um, I was like, this is so much
cooler than what I'm doing.

So I really wanted to be on
that side where I'm the material

innovator and that led me to.

Going back to school
and getting a Master's.

Um, and through that master's I
was introduced to Biodesign and

that's where I was like, oh my
God, science and design together.

Like this is what I've been
searching for my whole life.

Um, and since then, yeah, that

edwin ai: yeah, I mean
that's, that's really cool.

Sarah Graham: I.

edwin ai: interesting
how your path went from.

So I have a young daughter, she's nine
and she's so like fashion forward the way

she thinks anyways, and she's an artist
and I'm an engineer, so it's, but it's

interesting how the path got you there

Sarah Graham: Absolutely.

edwin ai: there and, and,
and I think that really, I.

I guess that turning point in terms of
when you were working for Joel Fresh

and really seeing the impact and maybe
part of our upbringing and being,

I'm just assuming you're Canadian

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

edwin ai: is just like, how do
we, can we do better for everyone?

And, and, and it plays a big role in
terms of your, you know, what you,

how you got to where you are and maybe
the point of view and really being

passionate about and making an impact
was, was really interesting into your

Sarah Graham: Mm-hmm.

Yeah, definitely.

Um, that, that's super essential to it.

Um, but.

Uh, another reason,
like I love this planet.

You know, in BC when I'm
feeling overwhelmed, I like

go for a hike in the forest.

I swim in the Alpine Lakes.

Like it's a privilege that I really
never wanna take for granted.

But, um, I.

That's not the reality for everyone, you
know, and a lot of that, uh, is because

of the way that we manufacture things.

So making a positive impact
on, on the planet in that way

is super important for me.

Um.

And beyond that, I'm just like
absolutely in awe of nature.

Like the more I learn about microbial
life, the more questions I have.

And these like invisible organisms
have shaped our lives from like

our past or present and our future.

Um, like there's literally
nothing that bacteria can't do.

Like, it's crazy.

So, um, yeah, working at Light One and
like really pushing this company forward,

like I get to dive into that every day
and, and like that's so invigorating.

Um, and how complex life is in
nature is, and the way that.

Humans are treating it, it
is kind of like, I, you know,

like, how dare we do this?

Like, we have no right
to be acting this way.

So I feel fiercely dedicated to kind
of being that catalyst for change.

Um, and yeah.

edwin ai: and you're doing it
right in terms of like a very

specific that has a global impact as

Sarah Graham: Mm-hmm.

edwin ai: to every day to everyone.

I feel like no one is.

Not infected by

Sarah Graham: Absolutely.

Yeah.

edwin ai: let alone moving it to
like, you know, I see these things

get into my Instagram feed where
it's like the color, the food

Sarah Graham: Oh yeah.

edwin ai: it is like this.

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

It's crazy.

Um, so yeah, there's like, color is
in our world in, in so many ways.

Um, and it's a huge problem that we really
need to fix because it affects, like

you're saying, every single person's lives
some more than others, and it's really

unfair for that to be happening just for
profitability and keeping things going

that the way that they have always gone.

Uh, yeah.

edwin ai: Um, um, a question for us,
um, for me, really curious, you know.

As we talk about the solution, how
the industry's desperate for you.

I mean, your timing is, is almost perfect
when it comes to coming to market,

but what does that future look like?

Everyone's using light wine.

Everyone's using like

Sarah Graham: It is gorgeous.

edwin ai: yeah, what, what, what
does that future look for your

customers when the problem is solved?

Sarah Graham: Um, so, you know, like.

The most sustainable use of color is to
not use color at this point, but the,

you know, once we're fully in the market,
then that's not going to be a problem.

So when light one's vision becomes
the reality, um, hey, clean and

sustainable color is gonna be
the standard, not the exception.

And for our manufacturing partners, that
means offering high performance, clean

colorants in like every shade imaginable
without that burden of regulatory risk,

toxic waste that they need to deal with.

Um, or the supply chain,
um, like volatility.

Because, you know, this can be
produced at any time, at any

place, anywhere in the world.

You know, you're, you're
inside a tank reactor.

It doesn't matter what climate you're in,
what season it is, all of those things.

For the brands, it really means no more
trade-offs so they can deliver vibrant,

sustainable products that meets their
customer's expectations for like the

beauty and performance and the impact.

And again, at any scale, at a
fair cost without the compromise.

Then for the public it means, um, not
having to think, you know, you don't

have to question whether the colors
in your clothes or your makeup or your

food are safe, like they just are.

That's not a worry anymore.

We have enough things to worry about.

And then for the ecosystems,
it means freedom from harm.

So rivers and soil and biodiversity don't
have to bear the cost of color for us.

Instead, they get to thrive.

edwin ai: And we could live
in a vivid world with no

Sarah Graham: Exactly.

edwin ai: I, it's, it's, it's,
it's technicolor but not tech.

I mean, it is

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

Yeah.

It's tech, tech color.

But I just like color.

Another amazing thing about working
out late one and why I love it

so much is like, I love color.

Like, it's like so, so much.

So I, I can't even pick a favorite color.

Um, you know, like, but it goes so far.

Beyond the visual aspect as well.

Like there's a deeply human, emotional
and symbolic relationship that we have

with color, like it's metaphorical.

If you think about, you know, like red,
it is anger, or blue could be sadness.

I.

Um, it's symbolic.

We use it to carry memories
and communicate values and

protest and power and faith.

All of these things are represented
through color, so it's like a part of

our personal and collective storytelling.

I.

Um, throughout history
all the way till now.

So it's just so much more than,
you know, basic sometimes when

you say, oh, like we make dyes.

It's so surface level.

Um, it sounds surface level, but
actually this is, this company is so

meaningful and there's so much deep,
um, like depth behind everything and,

um, yeah, colors are, are incredible
and, and I love them so much.

edwin ai: No, it's, it's awesome.

It's very inspiring.

Sarah, what you and Light One is doing
it really like, you know, as you get

vivid in the future that you know.

You're creating, that
you're innovating in.

It's, it's really, uh, an honor for us
to be here and really talk to you because

you're a really good example in terms of
really like understanding the impact and,

and, and really looking to build that
community and the buy-in and hopefully

the awareness eventually to, to the
end users, to all of us understanding.

I wanna look for that logo in that
t-shirt I buy that says light one,

Sarah Graham: Absolutely.

edwin ai: right?

It's, um,

Sarah Graham: yeah, totally.

That buy-in is really, really big
because I think, um, when people

often think of microbes or bacteria,
it's in a negative context.

And like for me, that's
the complete opposite.

But you are not gonna know
that until you hear the stories

that are behind the microbes.

You know, like, um,
there's that idea of like.

Humanizing things by telling stories,
but also we can do that same kind

of, um, process through telling
stories, uh, of the microbes,

um, which is really important.

So we have kind of that challenge ahead
of us is like getting people to understand

and it's completely shifting now.

Like if you think about how people
speak of their, uh, microbiome and, and

things like that, like the narrative
is really shifting, but it's important

to push that even further and, and.

For everyone to understand, like
microbes are absolutely essential for

the functioning of the entire planet
and every living system within it.

So they deserve a little
more respect than they get.

And um, yeah, that's, that's
a part of what we're doing

here is telling those stories.

edwin ai: Yeah, no, I love it.

And you know, if we could play
a small part of it with this.

Interview and me going out to
the world and asking people now,

Sarah Graham: Yeah.

edwin ai: you know, this is amazing.

Um, before I let you go, Sarah, I'd
love it if you could share first thing

that comes to mind, if you could share
any final thoughts, advice maybe for

the designers or the entrepreneurs
or any of the future innovators that

are, are trying to lead with impact.

Sarah Graham: Um, okay.

So it's so hard, like it's so, so hard.

So make sure you love what you're
doing and you deeply believe in

it because you're gonna have to
keep coming back to your why.

Like, why are you doing this?

Why is, does the world need us?

Um, that's what's really gonna carry
you through those super tough moments.

The.

Path to building meaningful changes.

Like not easy, it's not linear.

It's gonna be times when you know
only that why really keeps you going,

um, but you also cannot do it alone.

So surround yourself with.

Diverse and brilliant, caring people.

Your team is like gonna be everything.

And, um, I absolutely need to
shout out the light one team

because they're incredible.

Uh, we have great minds
from, um, all over the place.

Harvard, MIT, you know, other
research, uh, hubs globally and

also from the industry as well.

They all bring incredible knowledge and
passion, um, and their hard work is what.

Has gotten us this far.

So our truly like multidisciplinary
backgrounds, which was such an important

part of when Roy and I started this,
what we were going for When building

this team, um, it really allows us to
push those boundaries of what's possible.

So building your team is so important.

Get those right people beside you.

Um, it's that they're the ones that are
gonna get you to where you need to go.

edwin ai: Amazing.

Well, Sarah, this has been an absolute
pleasure, very, very enlightening for me.

Um, I learned quite a bit, just even
as you get out there to tell the story.

So thank you for joining us on
the Business Leadership Podcast.

Sarah Graham: Thank you so much.

I had a really fun time.

This has been great chatting.

You are listening to the Business
Leadership Podcast with Edwin.