About us
“ The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder. ”
Gilbert keith chesterton
At Asteria, we believe in building a movement that respects, learns from, and works with the living world.
Innovation should not come at the cost of our ecosystems. That's why we encourage every designer, creator, engineer and innovator to unlock the sustainability potential of life-inspired strategies.
Asteria is the platform that connects problem-solvers with Earth's unique biodiversity, empowering them to turn life’s strategies into tomorrow’s solutions.
+ 8 000 000
species live on earth
+ 2 000 000
species have been described by scientists
from wonder to sustainable innovation.
from wonder to sustainable innovation.
Asteria was born from the idea that with proper guidance and tools, biomimicry can be a powerful and competitive way for every innovation-driven professionals to design a thriving, sustainable future for generations to come.
Eliot Graeff, CEO @asteria, February 2024
Biomimicry : shaping imagination to make the desirable possible
a joint effort
Powered by Anima and Ceebios: a collaborative vision
Asteria is the result of a unique collaboration between Ceebios, a leading expert in biomimetic research and innovation, and Anima, a visionary venture studio specialising in biomimicry. Together, they combine scientific rigor within creative exploration to unlock the transformative potential of nature in modern engineering and design.
Discover more about the co-founders behind Asteria:
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM
Experts in AI,
biomimicry and design,
led by passionate co-founders.
Dr. Eliot Graeff
CEO and co-founder of Asteria, Eliot is a life science engineer and holds a PhD in biomimetics. Passionate about understanding, teaching, and applying bio-inspiration, he coordinated the biomimetic methodology department at Ceebios until 2024 and served as a scientific advisory member of the European Nature4Nature program.
Today, he drives Asteria’s mission as a committed, science-driven company delivering concrete solutions to support ecological transition and foster a desirable future.
Nikolay Tchakarov
CTO and co-founder of Asteria, Nikolay is passionate about technology and fascinated by nature.After a career in London using machine learning to predict financial markets he discovered biomimicry at Ceebios and recognized the opportunity AI offers to leverage its principles and scale its application.
Today, he drives Asteria's technological vision using cutting-edge solutions to translate nature's brilliance into real-world sustainable innovation
Sandra Rey
As a deeptech and bio-inspired entrepreneur and designer, Sandra is passionate about leveraging nature to address climate change. Founder of Glowee, a globally awarded pioneer in biological lighting, she has spent a decade driving sustainable innovation.
Co-founder of and CEO of Anima, the studio behind Asteria, she supports Asteria’s executive team. As Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, international speaker, and President of the French National Design Council, Sandra support founders through their rollercoaster journey.
Florence Durillon
As an impact entrepreneur and agro-engineer, Florence focuses on turning vision into action while fostering resource efficiency and team culture. Co-founder of Graapz, a food waste startup sold to Phenix in 2019, she helped save millions of meals annually.
Florence later joined Sandra as a COO of Glowee where she discovered biomimicry and is now sharing her expertise at the intersection of operations and finance for Asteria through her co-founding role of Anima.
Nicolas Morand
Driven by a passion for understanding user needs, Nicolas entered the product world through design. After seven years at Lunii, fostering children's imagination with interactive audio fiction, he joined Asteria to lead product creation with a user-centered and impact-driven approach.
Inspired by diverse cultures, poetry, and nature, he blends these influences into an iterative process to create meaningful and lasting impact.
Jonas Bennis
As a former INP Toulouse engineer, Jonas began his career in Product Management before transitioning to software development to delve deeper into technical aspects. As a Software Engineer, he gained experience working with Parisian startups.
Driven by the belief that technology is a powerful tool for addressing societal challenges, Jonas now dedicates his technical expertise to serving the greater good.
Alexandre Cadain
As a serial entrepreneur and investor in AI and impact technologies, Alexandre partners through Aleph studios (Anima, WorldGame, Alien) with bold founders to build leading impact companies. Alexandre is also the co-founder of Worklib.io, Europe’s leading platform for flexible workspaces, he also co-founded AlphaStar, investing in conscious tech ventures.
With roles at Hyperloop TT, contributions to AI FOR GOOD, and teaching at HEC Paris, Alexandre excels at turning vision into impactful action.
We’re hiring !
Our team is growing fast and we’re always looking for talented, committed, passionate people.
COLLABORATE WITH NATURE.
COLLABORATE WITH NATURE.
Forward-thinking
We commit to staying relevant and leading through innovation. We are ambitious, bold, visionary and creative.
Empowered
We empower our audience by providing them with the confidence they need to take control and make impactful decisions.
Grounded
We are rooted in reality and scientific rigor, providing practical solutions and maintaining a down-to-earth approach.
Principled
We uphold rigorous ethical standards and values. We commit to ensuring integrity and honesty in every action.
