The next big thing in clean skincare? Moss.
Skincare brands are under pressure to ditch old-school ingredients like hydroquinone, kojic acid and arbutin—used to treat dark spots and hyperpigmentation, a common sign of aging—due to irritation risks and tighter regulations for use in over the counter products. At the same time consumers are now looking for clean, natural ingredients, without scary sounding chemical names. This leaves skincare brands to find new ingredients that are safe, effective and don’t look scary on the label.
Enter BryoSphere Biotechnologies. The Vancouver-based startup is using genetically engineered moss to produce BB1—a potent, plant-based compound that targets hyperpigmentation safely and effectively. Until now, BB1 was too rare and complex to be produced at commercial scales. BryoSphere’s tech makes BB1 using engineered moss grown in scalable and sustainable photobioreactors. They offer BB1 in two formats: BryoBright™ (an enriched extract) and a purified high-performance version. It’s a big step toward clean-label skincare ingredients that don’t sacrifice results.
From moss to momentum
What they’ve done: In 2023, BryoSphere landed investment from IndieBio SF, one of the world’s top deep tech and life sciences accelerators. Since then, they’ve doubled their funding through non-dilutive sources, filed a provisional patent, and bioengineered moss to overproduce BB1, their hero skincare ingredient. They launched BryoBright™, signed a materials agreement with a mid-sized skincare brand, and have more partners lined up pending safety test results this summer. Just as important, they built their platform IP-independent, giving them full control over their tech and future.
Why NVBC: BryoSphere is using the 2025 New Ventures BC Competition, presented by Innovate BC, to ride the wave of early traction into a strong pre-seed raise. With plans to co-launch pilot products with 2–3 skincare brands, they see NVBC as the perfect stage to refine their pitch, connect with investors, and deepen their roots in BC’s innovation scene.
Up next: Scale. The team is planning to partner with the Verschuren Centre to move from benchtop to industry, targeting pilot commercial runs on low CapEx infrastructure by 2027. With active testing underway with one skincare brand and plans to build out their customer base, Bryosphere aims to reach a projected revenue pipeline exceeding $2M in time for their seed raise. The startup is aiming to make BB1 the next must-have ingredient in clean beauty.
From science camp to startup CEO
Long before launching a biotech company, Dr. Liz Mahon (CEO and Co-Founder) carried a different title—science camp instructor. One of her earliest and toughest jobs, it pushed her to master the art of explaining complex scientific ideas to curious, often brutally honest, kids. “You know right away if your explanation worked—their faces light up with curiosity or they check out,” she says. That experience shaped her approach to communication: start where your audience is, then build from there.
In deeptech, it’s not enough to have groundbreaking science, you need to make others understand it. Whether she’s talking to investors, partners, or potential customers, Liz still draws on those early lessons to break down BryoSphere’s complex biotech into stories that resonate and spark curiosity.
Meet The Team
Dr. Liz Mahon, PhD, CEO and Cofounder
Dr. Hila Behar, PhD CTO & Co-founder
Fun Fact: BryoSphere co-founders Liz and Hila first met during their PhD research, and bonded over cake. As part of a quirky lab tradition, Hila was in charge of baking a birthday cake for a new labmate and casually asked Liz about her favorite flavor. Unaware of the tradition, Liz replied “chocolate peppermint,” not realizing the entire lab would be tasting her unconventional choice. Hila took the request to heart and baked a homemade vegan chocolate peppermint cake that won over even the skeptics. It was a sweet success and the start of a lasting friendship.
Company Cheatsheet:
City: Vancouver
Founded: April 2022
Sector: Biotechnology
