From Lab Bench to Blue Economy: Brandon Jaunky’s Journey
Before he was a founder, Brandon B. Jaunky was a scientist. With a bachelor’s in cellular and molecular biology and a master’s in synthetic biology, he started in biomarker analytics and then moved toward industrial biotechnology with one guiding idea: research should reach people. In 2021 he joined the QcSE program, which gave him a structured space to translate scientific work into a venture story. Week by week, he learned to swap lab shorthand for the language of users and investors, pressure-test assumptions with peers, and map a path from experiment to clear value.
That reframing became the foundation for GC LipidTech, which Brandon co-founded with his brother, Dilan. The problem they chose is both technical and urgent. A large share of wild-caught fish is still rendered into fishmeal to feed farmed fish, a practice that strains marine ecosystems and threatens long-term food security. GC LipidTech develops enhanced microalgae strains as a sustainable, nutrient-rich alternative to fishmeal. The logic is simple: microalgae sit at the base of the marine food web and naturally produce the lipids and proteins fish need. By engineering strains for performance and consistency, the company can supply feed inputs that scale without extracting from the ocean.
“If you don't have the idea, but you have that sense that at some point you want to build something or you want to just see what entrepreneurship is about, then QcSE is a great starting point.”
-Brandon Jaunky, Co-Founder, GC Lipid Tech, QcSE Alumni
After QcSE, Brandon continued with one-on-one coaching at District 3 to keep validating the opportunity and aligning technical milestones with market needs. The venture secured an early client in sustainable skincare and advanced to the final round of the Ocean Startup Challenge, evidence that the science resonates beyond the lab. Through it all, he has kept returning to the same discipline: talk to stakeholders, refine the problem, iterate quickly, and communicate the science in plain terms.
By aligning biotechnology with conservation goals, Brandon and Dilan are working to decouple aquaculture growth from wild fish extraction and to preserve marine biodiversity. The journey is a reminder that researcher-led companies can move from lab bench to measurable ocean impact when they learn to pair rigorous science with a market that is ready to adopt it.