FreyZein GmbH

FreyZein – NextGen Textiles (Graz/Dornbirn, Austria) is a deep-tech materials company developing a new class of petrochemical-free, cellulose-derived monomaterials for high-performance textiles. Its core offering is an innovative monomaterial multilayer fabric composed of: A) a technical woven cellulosic surface layer; B) FreyZein’s proprietary cellulosic membrane with PFC-free DWR; and C) a flexible, lightweight cellulosic backing. In parallel, FreyZein is developing an aerocellulose-infused thermal insulation platform: a 100% cellulose-based multilayer nonwoven engineered for extreme performance, combining strong thermal insulation with flexibility, breathability, and reduced water retention at a fraction of the weight and thickness of conventional materials.

From May 2023 to July 2025, I supported FreyZein across two consecutive roles, bridging sustainability/technology strategy, IP, funding, and commercialisation.

As Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for Technologies & Patents (initially as a consultant, then part-time; May 2023–Apr 2024), I drove sustainability and technology positioning with a strong focus on patentable innovation. I clarified how material and process choices translate into defensible technical assets, aligning R&D priorities with sustainability value, product claims, and early IP positioning.

As Head of IP, Funding & Commercialisation (Full-time, May 2024–Jul 2025), I set up and executed an integrated “value protection → value creation” pipeline:
(1) IP management—patenting strategy and governance (patents, trademarks, copyright), monitoring/enforcement support, and compliance considerations;
(2) Commercialisation—routes to market for technologies and IP (licensing structures, partnership models, potential spin-out pathways) and translation of technical differentiation into monetisable propositions;
(3) Funding—identification and securing of resources for R&D, scale-up and market uptake, including grant strategy/writing, negotiation support, incubation/upscaling programmes, and relationships with public agencies and external specialists.

Across both roles, I managed stakeholder engagement, produced decision-ready updates, and ensured sound sourcing/procurement practices—enabling clearer protection, stronger financing, and credible commercial pathways.