Where tradition once shaped the materials industry, the future is now being built through biotechnology. As industries worldwide aim for better performance and true sustainability, the demand for bio-based alternatives is growing. In this rapidly evolving field, only a few leaders are driving real change, transforming how materials are made and scaled. One of those leaders is Ulrich Scherbel, whose journey blends deep scientific understanding with entrepreneurial vision and a commitment to responsible innovation.
Today, Ulrich serves as the CEOof AMSilk GmbH, a world leader in plant-based synthetic silk biopolymers. But his path into biomaterials wasn’t a sudden leap; it was the product of decades spent inside the global performance materials industry. Trained in textile chemistry and finishing, he spent over 25 years in leadership roles across production, business development, and global operations. These early experiences showed him the limits of traditional material supply chains and the need for having sustainable alternatives.
The turning point came when he joined AMSilk, a company poised to transform how industries source, use, and think about materials. Leaving behind established corporate roles, he took on the challenge of turning biobased silk biopolymers into an industrial reality. Since becoming CEO in 2021, Scherbel has expanded AMSilk (worldwide), built key partnerships, and secured patents, all while encouraging teamwork and a science-focused approach.
Let’s take a closer look at how Ulrich is leading AMSilk toward the next generation of sustainable, high-performance materials!
A Career Rooted in Tradition and Reinvention
Before joining AMSilk, Ulrich led global businesses in the performance materials industry. “These were companies built over many generations, with strong culture, tradition and very defined markets,” he noted. AMSilk gave him a rare entrepreneurial chance: to scale a truly game-changing material technology and, at the same time, contribute to a better future for his children and for the planet.
Scaling Sustainable Material Innovation
The material industry faces one core challenge: creating more sustainable biomaterials that can match the quality and price of long-established supply chains. Science can deliver breakthroughs, but proving them at an industrial scale is the real hurdle. “Traditional materials have decades of optimisation behind them. Startups do not,” he shares.
At AMSilk, it became clear to him that collaboration is the most effective and fastest way to overcome this. That is why the company built an asset-light scale-up model and worked closely with global leaders in the precision fermentation industry, such as Evonik and Ajinomoto.
It shows that AMSilk’s materials are not only innovative but also industrially and commercially viable. With global brands supporting this journey, the company gains the credibility needed to break through the scaling barrier and introduce a new class of high-performance biomaterials to the world.
From Uncertainty to Momentum
When working with breakthrough technologies, taking risks is part of the job. Ulrich approaches it by understanding the situation deeply and understanding customer needs deeply. Then the team builds a clear path to industrial reality and moves forward with real agility.
“Risk becomes manageable when it is transparent and when responsibility is shared,” he expressed. Working together provides early real-world feedback and helps the organisation learn fast. This turns uncertainty into progress.
Milestone That Proved the Mission
When the first global brand decided to replace a traditional material with AMSilk’s bio-based alternative, it was a defining moment. They told the company that they could keep the performance while meaningfully reducing their environmental footprint.
It is a small step, but it showed him that their work can help industries move in a better direction. Seeing this impact in the real world is deeply motivating for him.
Idea to Real-World Innovation
Innovation, for Ulrich, is more than science. An idea becomes a real innovation only when it creates impact in the world. This happens when it can be repeated again and again, in the same high quality and to the full satisfaction of customers.
Only then does an idea move from the lab into life. When AMSilk creates materials that deliver performance, sustainability, and reliability at scale, innovation becomes complete. It becomes something that truly makes a difference for people and for the planet.
Finding Clarity in Routine and Connection
Ulrich stays focused by using a simple daily routine supported by AI that keeps his schedule clear and helps him prepare before the day becomes busy. “Creativity comes from the basics: good sleep, moments of prayer or meditation and time with my family. And it comes from real conversations,” he conveyed.
What keeps Ulrich motivated is the belief that materials can be made in a better way. “In difficult times, I remind myself why we do this: to create solutions that allow industries to grow without harming the planet,” he shares. Seeing teams push boundaries, seeing customers embrace new ideas, and knowing that the work can help the next generation gives him energy. Challenges do not slow him down. They often sharpen the purpose behind what he and his teams do.
When he speaks with people who have been in similar or completely different situations, new perspectives open up. Many new ideas appear in these moments, and staying open to that keeps him moving forward.
Decisions That Stand the Test of Time
Balancing the short term and the long term is part of leading in a fast-changing industry. Ulrich often asks himself a simple question: Will this matter as much in a year as it feels today? This helps him see what is urgent and what is truly important. And he tries to understand whether a decision has the potential to move AMSilk forward, not only today, but also in one year and in five years. If it supports the long-term direction, it guides how he acts in the short term.
Insights Rooted in Experience and Empathy
Ulrich’s life and career have taught him that people make the difference. He has worked with people from many cultures and from all over the world, and he learned early that listening, trust, and clarity matter more than hierarchy.
His advice is to stay curious and stay honest. Never stop asking what customers really need and what consumers truly value. Keep learning fast instead of trying to be perfect. Connect with people who have been through similar situations and learn from their experience. Understand that this is not a sprint but a marathon.
