Andras Forgacs
Co-founder and board director of Modern Meadow
Andras Forgacs is the co-founder of Modern Meadow, the biotechnology company founded in Brooklyn in 2011 that develops bio-designed leather alternatives now sold under the INNOVERA name. He remains a board director and is a senior partner at Starlight Ventures.
| Role | Co-founder and board director, Modern Meadow |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011, Brooklyn, New York |
| Also | Senior partner, Starlight Ventures (since 2022) |
| Earlier venture | Co-founder of Organovo |
| Education | Harvard (BA), Wharton (MBA) |
Who is Andras Forgacs?
Andras Forgacs is an entrepreneur and investor known in fashion as the co-founder of Modern Meadow, one of the earliest companies to apply biotechnology to leather. The company was established in Brooklyn, New York in 2011 by Forgacs, Francoise Marga, Gabor Forgacs and Karoly Jakab. Today it is led by chief executive David Williamson, with Forgacs serving as co-founder and board director. Since 2022 he has also been a senior partner at Starlight Ventures.
Career
Forgacs holds a BA with honours from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School. His career combines finance, consulting and life sciences:
- Helped establish an e-commerce division in investment banking at Citigroup
- Consultant at McKinsey and Company (2005 to 2008), working on biopharma and private equity strategy
- Managing director at Richmond Global Ventures (2008 to 2012)
- Co-founder of Organovo (2007 to 2013), a 3D bioprinting company
- Co-founder of Modern Meadow (from 2011)
He also co-founded The Resolution Project, a non-profit established in 2006, was named to Crain's New York 40 Under 40, is a Kauffman Fellow and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Influence on the fashion business
Modern Meadow set out to produce sustainable bio-fabricated leather, combining design with biotechnology. Its flagship material is INNOVERA, formerly called BIO-VERA, which the company describes as a next-generation leather alternative. The company targets fashion and accessories, footwear, interiors and automotive applications, and opened an innovation lab in Nutley, New Jersey in 2017. It is now headquartered in Pine Brook, New Jersey.
Founded in 2011, Modern Meadow was an early entrant in a field that has since attracted many start-ups and brand partnerships.
Andras Forgacs and technology
The company describes its approach as bringing the curiosity of design together with the rigour of engineering, working at the intersection of synthetic biology and material science. Its Bio-Alloy technology remains a core part of its scientific platform. Forgacs's earlier work on bioprinting at Organovo, recognised as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2015, shaped this engineering-led view of materials.
Why it matters
Forgacs is a key figure in the story of biomaterials for fashion. Modern Meadow's development from a laboratory concept to a commercial leather alternative shows how long material innovation takes, and why partnerships between brands, scientists and investors are needed to reduce the industry's reliance on animal and fossil-based inputs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Andras Forgacs?
Andras Forgacs is the co-founder of Modern Meadow, a biotechnology company founded in 2011 that develops leather alternatives such as INNOVERA. He is a board director of the company and a senior partner at Starlight Ventures.
What does Modern Meadow make?
Modern Meadow develops bio-designed materials, led by INNOVERA (formerly BIO-VERA), a next-generation leather alternative for fashion, footwear, interiors and automotive uses. Its Bio-Alloy technology is a core part of its platform.