Deepak Rajmohan is a food biotechnologist, agricultural researcher, and company founder. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in India and then moved to the United States for his master’s degree in food science. His work there included projects on food waste and loss. In addition, he worked on “active” packaging. This packaging contains components that extract certain substances from food or release substances themselves—the basis for the work of his startup GreenPod Labs. “Using science and technology to solve pressing problems thrills me every day,” Rajmohan says.

Especially in warm countries such as India, food often spoils during storage or transport. Deepak Rajmohan found a solution for this in the natural defense mechanisms of fruits and vegetables. Together with his team, he has developed small packets that are enclosed with fruit or vegetables so that they can better survive long transport routes. “The product contains plant extracts that turn into volatile organic compounds upon contact with air. In fruits and vegetables, the specific mix of substances triggers an immune response.” Thus armed against heat, high humidity or microbes, their shelf life is extended by 40 to 60 percent.