What was initially a research project on sustainable textiles became a business plan for UBC Sauder School of Business student Jaiya Varshney, along with her co-founders at Tydra Biomaterial Labs. In the process of trying to develop sustainable textiles for clothing, the young entrepreneur and her team (which led the underlying research) happened upon a lateral finding: there’s a bacteria that converts mushroom and crustacean food waste into chitin—a biomaterial that creates a stronger and more waterproof barrier when used on other materials. Translation: Those soggy old cardboard straws? Coat them with chitin and now they’re made more durable for use, bucking the need for plastics. Tydra Labs currently has more than 10 companies in Asia and five in North America testing their product across packaging, agriculture and textiles.
“Chitin is a super material,” the 25-year-old Varshney says of the world’s second-most abundant polymer, which, by the way, has a $20-billion global market value. “It’s incredible because it can be used in so many different industries [but] what we’re focused on is how we can use chitin as a replacement to plastic coatings.”
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The company has secured $375,000 in non-dilutive funds from government grants and pitch competitions, and has repurposed equipment (like old yeast tanks) to keep costs low and scale production. The end goal sees waste diverted, chemicals avoided, water savings and a production volume of chitin that will help displace non-biodegradable materials.
Who is your role model and why?
“My grandparents. They have played such a huge role in who I am as a person, from both a personal and a professional standpoint: the values I have, the gratitude I have. They’ve been so key and fundamental in shaping who I am.”
What’s your favourite social media app and how do you use it?
“LinkedIn and Instagram, for networking and turning off my brain at the end of the day.”
What’s one leadership principle you live by?
“In order to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower.”
How are you using AI in your work?
“We’re definitely using it a lot from just a purely administrative side, but we’re also using it in a much more technical way in helping us create a more efficient process for our actual technical capabilities.”
What’s your favourite app?
“ScreenZen. I wish I was paid to talk about this app because of how many people I’ve made download it. It helps you stay disciplined with anything. For example, I’ve customized how many times I’m allowed to open Instagram every day and for how many minutes—it’s gamified.”
See the full list of our 2026 30 Under 30 winners here.
