Terra Oleo’s oil-producing microbes could replace destructive palm oil plantations
When most kids rebel against their families, they might become a ski bum, join a band, or go to art school. Shen Ming Lee decided to start a company. “I grew up in the conventional palm oil industry,” Lee told TechCrunch. “My family’s business is one of the top producers in the palm oil space. And so I grew up a little bit — I have to admit —ashamed of what my family does.” Palm oil has come to dominate the market for vegetable oils, with the raw ingredient and its derivatives appearing in everything from snack foods and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and biofuels. But along the way, it has deforested vast swaths of the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia. The germ of Lee’s startup, Terra Oleo, emerged in 2022 when she met co-founder Boon Uranukul, who, as a…
