About the Zoo

A microbe-mission to decarbonise, discover and grow a greener future.

Unleashing the Power of Wild Yeast

At Wild Yeast Zoo, we are passionate about harnessing the potential of wild yeast to drive sustainable innovation. Our mission is to create a comprehensive library that supports research and collaboration in microbial science and business.

99.999%

Over a trillion species of microbes are yet to be discovered.

Our Mission

At Wild Yeast Zoo, we’re on a mission to explore the hidden world of wild microbes. We invite participants to gather samples from native flora, refine and genotype it, and then use it in diverse applications. Here’s how we’re making an impact:

Biodiversity Conservation

By collecting yeast samples from diverse natural environments, we contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Each yeast strain we discover represents a unique piece of the ecological puzzle – whilst raising awareness about the importance of native flora and their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Industry Partnerships

We’re proud to collaborate with industry partners who share our passion for wild yeast. These partnerships strengthen our impact and allow us to reach a larger audience, driving change in key technologies for manufacturing, energy, agriculture and beyond.

Community Engagment

We involve citizen scientists, brewers, and curious individuals in our project. Through workshops, events, and online platforms, we foster a sense of community and shared purpose. Our growing community allows us to engage with a broader audience, spreading the word about wild yeast and its potential.

Research Commercialisation

Commercialisation plays a crucial role in taking our discoveries beyond the lab. We explore opportunities to commercialise our wild yeast and bacterial strains through the creation of valuable chemicals: ingredients in everything from food, drinks, pharmaceuticals and fertilisers to future energy sources.

Scientific Discovery

Our collaboration with citizens and industry allows us to enhance the yeast collection process. We perform genetic sequencing and describe the fermentation characteristics of each microbe. These findings contribute to knowledge and new applications in biotechnology-driven commerce.

Commitment to Ethics

We are committed to ethical and legal practices. Our Zoo adheres to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to ensure that benefits flow back to the communities and environments that contribute to our research.

Let’s Put these Yeast to Work

Through our research, we can uncover a world of innovations across many industries.

Revolutionising Food Production

Harnessing natural yeast fermentation techniques, wild yeasts can lead to diverse, healthier and more sustainable food and beverage production options.

Transforming Manufacturing Processes

Wild yeasts can enhance production efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing, providing environmentally conscious alternatives to current practises.

Advancing Eco-Friendly Textiles

Integrating wild yeast in textile production promotes eco-friendly practices and reduces environmental impact.

Pioneering Research in Microbial Diversity

Our research focuses on discovering new yeast and bacteria for various applications, which can support endeavours to build a global picture of microbial diversity and its significance.

Enhancing Agricultural Practices

Yeast and bacteria participate in innovations that can improve soil health and crop resilience by helping farmers adopt nature based alternatives to damaging pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and fertilisers.

The Journey Behind Wild Yeast Zoo's Creation and Vision

Wild Yeast Zoo was founded to explore the untapped potential of wild yeasts in sustainable manufacturing. Our mission is to build a comprehensive library that fosters collaboration among scientists, investors, and the public for innovative microbial research.

Our Milestones in Wild Yeast Discovery

2022

Launch

Wild Yeast Zoo officially launched, inviting citizen scientists to explore microbial diversity.

2023

First Collection

Our first collection of wild yeast samples was successfully gathered from diverse environments.

2024

Organisation Growth

Engaged a community of passionate scientists, expanding our network and knowledge base significantly.

2025

Research Partnerships

Established collaborations with leading researchers to advance sustainable manufacturing practices.

Our Zookeepers

  • Dr Ben Matthews

    HEAD OF STRATEGY & COMMUNICATIONS

    Senior Lecturer in Design with the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, driving strategy and communication for the Zoo. His background and research ranging from extensive experience in strategy and creative media production to scholarly writings inspired by digital communication.

  • Dr Georgia Weaver

    HEAD OF CULTIVATION

    Ph.D. in molecular microbiology and expertise in tissue culture and microbial R&D. She supports Operations and Product Development at Wild Yeast Zoo and leads offshore production and innovation at Ramm Botanicals. Driving lab-based experimentation, data analysis, and scaling biological systems.

  • Evan Gibbs

    RUMINATION EXPERT

    Undertaking a PhD in the Bacterial Regulation and Transport Laboratory under Dr Karl Hassan. He is working on new methodologies within synthetic biology to rapidly determine the efficacy of high value small molecule overproduction in single celled organisms.

  • Prof Peter Lewis

    CTO

    Founder and director of Hunter Biological Solutions, with more than 30 years experience in molecular biology, microbiology and biochemistry. Working as an academic at the Universities of Sydney, Oxford and Newcastle leading a research group concentrating on the molecular biology of gene expression, antimicrobial development and metabolic engineering for green energy and chemical production.

  • Ben Leita

    ORACLE

    Business coach and glutton for punishment who combines a technical background, experience as a senior manager and entrepreneur and a love for bringing pioneering science & technology to market. His skills span deep tech start-ups, biofuels & bioproducts, chemical engineering, chemistry, biomaterials, and renewable energy.

Advisory Board

  • Dr. Christopher Lean

    MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

    Dr Chris Lean is a philosopher of the life sciences (biology, ecology, medicine) and ethics (bioethics, environment, technology). Recently, he has been writing on the role of biotechnology in conservation science and on invasive species. He is enthusiastic about collaboration across disciplines and fascinated by Australia’s biodiversity.

  • A/Prof Amy Cain

    MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

    Dr Amy Cain completed her PhD under Ruth Hall, at the University of Sydney, investigating movement of antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella enterica. After a short postdoc in Ian Paulsen’s group at Macquarie, Amy moved to Cambridge, UK, for a postdoc at the Wellcome Sanger Institute under Julian Parkhill – developing bespoke genomics techniques like TraDIS. Next she moved to Malawi in sub-Saharan Africa with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, tracking and sequencing hospital-acquired infections as part of the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Clinical Research Program.

    After a brief stint in the Pharmaceutical industry as a Vertex Fellow in Oxford, UK, Amy has established her own group as an ARC DECRA fellow in Molecular Sciences at Macquarie University, focused on developing new antibiotics using functional genomics and the Galleria in vivo model.

  • Dr Ian Paulsen

    DIRECTOR ARC CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

    Dr Ian Paulsen is Distinguished Professor at Macquarie University and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB website link). He is also Deputy Director of the Macquarie Biomolecular Discovery and Design Centre. Ian is an ARC Laureate Fellow and an ISI Highly Cited Researcher. He has published more than 294 journal papers, which have received over 85,000 citations. Thomson Reuters identified him as one of the world's 3000 most influential scientific minds in 2014. He was featured in The Australian as one of the top forty research superstars in Australia.

  • Andy Lamb

    Andy Lamb has a career of doing things differently. Working from large global financial services and management consulting organisation through to starting and founding a number of his own software tech businesses. He has spun out technology from Swinburne University after completing his Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Andy is also a non-executive director of the IPS foundation focusing on providing developing indigenous entrepreneurship and business skills.

 FAQs

  • The Wild Yeast Zoo is a living library of native Australian yeast strains collected from diverse environments. We combine citizen science, industry collaboration, and cutting-edge research to discover, preserve, and apply wild microbes for sustainable innovation.

  • You can participate by collecting yeast samples from your local environment, joining workshops or community events, or supporting our mission through investment and sponsorship. Whether you’re a scientist, brewer, or simply curious, there’s a role for you.

  • Wild yeast has the potential to transform food and beverage production, agriculture, textiles, and even advanced biomanufacturing. By unlocking microbial diversity, we can create healthier, more sustainable, and eco-friendly solutions across multiple industries.

  • We are committed to the Nagoya Protocol, which ensures that the benefits of microbial discoveries are shared fairly and equitably with the communities and environments they come from. Ethical collection and responsible use of biodiversity are at the core of everything we do.

Get Involved

You can contribute to and support our mission in two very important ways.

Invest in our Mission

Our zoo relies on the contributions of noble investors, to continue the important work we’re doing.

  • Catalyse discovery – Your investment accelerates the exploration of untapped microbial biodiversity, unlocking solutions for food, agriculture, energy, textiles, and more.

  • Drive impact – Together, we can translate research into real-world applications, creating ethical and commercially viable innovations that decarbonise industries.

  • Share in the future – As a partner, you’ll be part of a pioneering ecosystem where science, community, and commerce come together to grow a greener future.

Collect Samples

Yeast can be collected from all over the world. Find out how you can contribute to our continually growing zoo.

  • Be a discoverer – Join our citizen science community and collect yeast from native plants, gardens, or wild spaces to expand our library of microbial diversity.

  • Contribute to research – Your samples are genotyped and studied, supporting scientific discovery and new applications across food, agriculture, energy, and more.

  • Be part of the story – Each strain collected represents a unique piece of the ecological puzzle, helping us preserve biodiversity and inspire innovation.

Get in Touch

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