Student Spotlight: Innovating in Biotech and Beyond

As we celebrate the achievements of 2024, we’re proud to spotlight Executive MBA Alumnus, Rudy Ham-Zhu, a biotechnology innovator who made waves this year by earning a coveted spot in the Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU Accelerator Program. With an acceptance rate of less than 2%, Techstars is one of the most competitive and prestigious startup accelerators in the world. Rudy’s groundbreaking startup, Mahmi Bio, is on a mission to transform the $114 billion food allergy market and improve the lives of millions worldwide.

The Journey to Techstars

Rudy’s acceptance into Techstars represents a monumental milestone in his entrepreneurial journey. Drawing on his expertise as a scientist and engineer with over 15 years of experience in fermentation, cell culture, and biotechnology, Rudy founded Mahmi Bio, a startup focused on tackling food allergies—an issue that affects over 500 million people globally and has personally impacted his family.

Rudy credits Techstars for helping him refine his vision and scale his company. Over the course of the accelerator’s 13-week program, he collaborated with world-class mentors, gained access to vital resources, and connected with a global network of investors and industry leaders.

“In light of the retraction in biotech/foodtech, being selected by Techstars is a monumental achievement,” Rudy reflects. “It’s proof that what we’re building has the potential to make a significant impact in the lives of millions.”

An Innovator with a Global Reach

Rudy’s professional journey spans continents and industries. As a quadrilingual expert in biotech, he has worked or consulted for some of the world’s most innovative companies, including Beyond Meat, AstraZeneca, DuPont, BASF, and Atara Biotherapeutics. His contributions have ranged from developing vaccine production processes to optimizing enzyme and protein manufacturing, showcasing his versatility and deep expertise in biotechnology.

A passionate advocate for education and innovation, Rudy has shared his insights as a TEDx speaker, judged the iGEM competition, and even helped create a Spanish-language Massive Open Online Course to make science more accessible. His commitment to knowledge-sharing and collaboration reflects his belief in biotechnology’s power to transform lives and nations.

Rudy’s journey as an entrepreneur and innovator has been fueled by his relentless pursuit of learning. With degrees in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Rudy earned his MBA from Quantic to further hone his leadership and business acumen.Beyond his work with Mahmi Bio, Rudy was also named one of this year’s Top 50 Latinos of Influence by the San Diego Business Journal, a recognition of his contributions to the biotech and startup ecosystems.