BEL0022 500

Summary

Cameron Turner shares his journey from aspiring science teacher to entrepreneur in food and agriculture. After working in research and technology transfer, he founded ProGel to commercialize an innovative encapsulation technology for probiotics. Despite initial setbacks in partnering with established companies, he launched PERKii, a successful probiotic drink that addresses gut health without dairy or high sugar. Turner emphasizes the importance of understanding market needs, highlighting the contrasting success of kombucha as a healthier soft drink. His key takeaway encourages aspiring innovators to continuously ask who they are serving and what problems they are truly solving.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Cameron Turner's journey transitioned from aspiring science teacher to innovator in the food and agricultural space.
• 🔍 Identifying the 'who cares?' question is crucial for any innovator seeking to create impact.
• 🌱 ProGel, a company founded by Turner, commercialized a technology for encapsulating probiotics to enhance gut health.
• ⚠️ Many existing probiotic products lose efficacy by the end of their shelf life due to dead bacteria.
• 🔬 Encapsulating probiotics in microcapsules protects them during production and digestion, addressing a significant industry challenge.
• 🧪 Despite having a functional technology, Turner faced challenges in convincing established companies to adopt it.
• 📈 After initial failures to license the technology, Turner launched PERKii, a probiotic drink that became a market success.
• 💡 Understanding consumer preferences and trends, such as the shift away from sugar and dairy, helped shape PERKii's development.
• 🥤 Kombucha's explosive growth highlighted the importance of recognizing different market problems and opportunities.
• 🤔 Innovators should continually question what problem they are solving and who their target customers are to enhance their chances of success.

Q & A

What was Cameron Turner's initial career intention after studying science?

Cameron Turner initially wanted to be a high school science teacher but realized during his practical education that he wasn't interested in that path.

What areas did Turner work in after leaving university?

After university, Turner worked in various research positions at the Department of Primary Industries in Queensland and Flinders University in South Australia, eventually focusing on food and agriculture.

What is the significance of the question 'Who cares?' in Turner's journey?

The question 'Who cares?' is crucial for innovators and game changers, helping to identify if there is a genuine interest or need for their solutions in the market.

What technology did ProGel commercialize?

ProGel commercialized a technology for encapsulating probiotics in micro capsules developed by Professor Bhesh Bhandari, aimed at protecting the probiotics from dying in products and during digestion.

Why did Turner decide to create their own product instead of licensing the technology?

After unsuccessful attempts to convince established companies to commercialize their encapsulation technology, Turner and his team decided to create their own product to demonstrate its effectiveness.

What is the name of the probiotic drink developed by ProGel?

The probiotic drink developed by ProGel is called PERKii.

What major lesson did Turner learn from his experience with ProGel and PERKii?

Turner learned that having a great technical solution doesn't guarantee market acceptance, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer needs and preferences.

How did the probiotic drink PERKii differentiate itself from existing products?

PERKii differentiated itself by being a low-sugar, non-dairy probiotic drink that was stable in an acidic environment, keeping probiotics alive for a longer time compared to traditional yogurt-based products.

What was Turner's perspective on the emergence of the kombucha market?

Turner initially underestimated the kombucha market, believing it wouldn't gain popularity, but later recognized that kombucha addressed a broader market need for a healthier soft drink, leading to its explosive growth.

What key advice does Turner give regarding innovation and market research?

Turner advises innovators to focus on understanding the problems they are solving, the opportunities they are creating, and the target audience, as well as testing their assumptions to enhance the likelihood of success.