About Us | Debut

Our Mission

To set a new standard in beauty through our dynamic intrapreneurial model and to create purposeful brands that push humanity forward.

Our DNA is to do things differently. Break new ground.

Turn the cosmetic active ingredient manufacturing process on its head.

We unlock a new generation of cosmetic bioactive ingredients using the most advanced biomanufacturing approaches to power global beauty and personal care.
‍
Our proprietary active ingredients exist in nature, but only in trace amounts. Science allows us to understand how nature makes these ingredients so that we can translate it to an industrially scalable system.
‍
Only Debut’s technology is able to create these novel, high-performing cosmetic bioactive ingredients that are unattainable by any other means, giving us exclusive access to a universe of untapped potential.
‍
Our extensive IP portfolio consists of over 7,000 active ingredients that bring superior performance and differentiation to brands.
‍
We partner with some of the world’s largest beauty brands to incorporate our active ingredients in their formulations, delivering heightened performance and new functionality to a broad range of products and categories. In the process, our ingredient innovation helps our partners achieve their ambitious sustainability goals.
‍
Debut is the only biotech company with fully vertical integration capabilities incorporating ingredient discovery, cell-free, biofermentation, formulation, finished clinically-backed scalable ingredients and brand creation, all delivered at unprecedented speed.
‍
Our proprietary Bio2Consumer™ platform also includes a database of over 3.8 million pre-clinical data points to find and discover new ingredients.

True to our name, this is just the beginning.

We are driven to bring to life that which does not currently exist in beauty.

Everything that we do is aimed at creating the highest performing, safest and most sustainable novel ingredients, products and brands that will accelerate the transformation of the beauty industry as we know it.

Want In?

Meet the Leaders

A collective of brilliant minds and entrepreneurial thinkers who challenge things across all corners of business.

Young Mavericks. Wise Elders. Straight Talkers. Honest Partners.

Fearless Leaders

Join Us

Joshua Britton

FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Britton is a visionary founder with a rare blend of scientific expertise, business acumen, and a spark of genius—effortlessly balancing bold ambition with grounded practicality. Fun fact: He met his first Debut investor while moonlighting as an Uber driver.

Mark Wall

Chief Scientific Officer

Wall is a multidimensional leader bridging science and technology to unlock real business value. Equal parts curiosity, principle, drive, and builder—with a dash of trade-secret magic—he brings a mix of depth and agility to solving complex challenges.

Martin Mayhew

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PROCESS & COMMERCIALIZATION

Mayhew, aka “The Fixer”, builds teams and capabilities to pilot and manufacture Debut’s differentiated bioinspired products. At Debut, he troubleshoots everything from equipment and workflows to processes and scaleup campaigns.

Nicholas Brideau

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, R&D

Brideau is the driving force behind Debut’s R&D—leading growth, managing partnerships, and putting out fires. He led the buildout of Debut’s state-of-the-art labs and, in true startup fashion, recalls once having to trade pizzas for a forklift.

Kadie Burton

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Burton joined Debut as its fifth hire and has scaled the company while managing five rounds of venture capital financing. She is responsible for HR, regulatory, quality, operations, marketing and communications, and account management.

Taylor Oswald

VICE PRESIDENT, INGREDIENT & PRODUCT INNOVATION

Oswald blends life science expertise with hands-on in vitro assay development. She leads AI-driven discovery and formulation development, advancing Debut’s novel ingredient pipeline with both technical rigor and creative spark.

Jim Branch

VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE & CONTROLLER

Branch brings a wealth of experience in financial reporting, technical accounting, debt and equity financing, and financial planning and management. He has served in a variety of financial roles in public and venture-backed biopharmaceutical companies.

Joseph Magbanua

DIRECTOR, PMO AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Magbanua thrives in dynamic bioprocess environments. With engineering expertise that spans process control, development, scaleup and transfer, he steers cross-functional teams and achieves objectives within aggressive timelines.