UPSIDE Foods (previously known as Memphis Meats), one of the two cultivated meat producers granted permission to sell their novel cell-cultivated chicken to consumers in the USA, today announces that Dr. Kevin Kayser, UPSIDE’s Senior Vice President of Research & Development (R&D), has been promoted to Chief Scientific Officer, and Sean Edgett, former General Counsel at Twitter, is appointed as Chief Legal Officer.
“Expanding our executive team will accelerate our efforts to make our food system more humane”
Dr. Kayser previously led UPSIDE’s R&D efforts for almost five years. In the new role, he will be responsible for driving UPSIDE’s scientific strategy, overseeing all R&D efforts, and collaborating with academic and industry partners to advance the mission and economics of cultivated meat.
His notable achievements include developing high-performance cell lines and cell feeds, including advancements in serum-free cell feed formulations, cell lines that are capable of cultivated meat production in a robust manufacturing process, and high-yield cell lines.
“As I reflect upon my past four years at UPSIDE, I’m filled with gratitude for the hard work and dedication of my team,” said Dr. Kevin Kayser, CSO of UPSIDE Foods. “In a relatively short amount of time, we’ve achieved scientific breakthroughs that were once deemed insurmountable. As we enter our next chapter, I look forward to continuing to help drive the innovation that will progress us towards a more sustainable and equitable food system.”
Twitter hire
Concurrently, Sean Edgett joins UPSIDE Foods as CLO with twenty years of legal experience having spent ten years at Twitter, where he most recently served as General Counsel, overseeing litigation, regulatory compliance, corporate law, and intellectual property.
Notably, he led the legal work for dozens of M&A transactions during his tenure at Twitter, played a key role in the company’s IPO in 2013, and successfully guided the recent sale of the social media platform. Before his time at Twitter, Sean was a legal director at NetApp and an attorney at Latham & Watkins. In his role at UPSIDE, Sean will lead all aspects of legal, compliance, IP, regulatory, and government affairs.
“Being a part of UPSIDE Foods is an incredible opportunity to help build an innovative and sustainable food system,” said Sean Edgett, CLO of UPSIDE Foods. “With their historic regulatory accomplishments and exciting launches ahead, I’m excited to help navigate the complexities that come with pioneering a new industry so that we can drive our mission forward.”
“Kevin’s deep knowledge in advancing the science of cultivated meat and Sean’s strategic expertise in navigating complex landscapes make them the perfect fit for their respective roles,” said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods. “Expanding our executive team will accelerate our efforts to make our food system more humane and sustainable as we bring delicious, safe cultivated meat to consumers.”
