Justin Whitfield, Ph.D. – COO & Co-Founder, Technology Greenhouse

Dr. Justin Whitfield brings over two decades of experience working side-by-side with Dr. John Warner, co-founder of the field of green chemistry. Justin earned his B.S. in Biology (Chemistry Minor) from Bridgewater State University in 2002 and completed his Ph.D. in Green Chemistry at UMass Boston in 2011.

He was a founding member of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, where he served in various leadership roles for over a decade, including Vice President of Materials Science R&D. During this time, he helped generate more than 60 patents across 14 families and led several high-profile projects through lab development, pilot-scale production, and client adoption. His work includes innovations in coatings, adhesives, sustainable packaging, polymer science, and lignocellulosic composites.

Justin later served as Director of Business Development, then Senior Director of Chemistry at Zymergen, where he launched new R&D labs, mentored cross-functional teams, and drove the development and commercialization of novel, non-polymeric water-repellent coatings for paper-based materials. He also contributed to a major funding effort to spin off a "Functional Barrier Company" from Zymergen.

At Ginkgo Bioworks, Justin continued to lead projects focused on functional barriers and helped shape commercialization strategy and client engagement for green technologies. In 2023, he co-founded Technology Greenhouse, a contract innovation lab developing next-generation green chemistry materials. As COO, Justin oversees R&D operations, client relationships, lab infrastructure, and project execution.

Dr. Whitfield also serves on the National Academies’ Plastics Roundtable and is an advisor on the President’s Science and Math Advisory Council at Bridgewater State University. He is known for his collaborative leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to bridge science and commercialization with an unwavering focus on sustainability.

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