In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Andres Figueira interviews Phil Cohen, COO and Co-Founder of Simplifyber. Simplifyber is tackling one of manufacturing's most entrenched challenges: making sustainable materials compete directly with plastics at scale. Rather than positioning themselves as a premium alternative that costs more, they've engineered a platform technology - combining proprietary liquid natural fiber slurries with custom manufacturing equipment - that can produce everything from flexible shoe uppers to rigid automotive interiors. By starting with high-margin durable goods rather than commoditized packaging, and by designing for scale from day one, Simplifyber is building a razor-and-blades business model where their technology diffuses globally through equipment sales and consumable material contracts.

• Designing sustainable materials companies for scale from inception


• Competing with plastics through strategic product positioning in high-margin categories


• Re-engineering industrial equipment to create proprietary manufacturing advantages


• Building platform technologies that enable unforeseen applications


• Maintaining ruthless team accountability in venture-backed environments


• Navigating complex technical decisions with multiple stakeholder voices