# Ryan Pandya

> Ryan Pandya co-founded Perfect Day in 2014 with the audacious goal of making dairy without cows. Using precision fermentation, the Berkeley-based biotech raised nearly $800 million, built partnerships with Fortune 500 food companies, and proved that animal-free whey protein could reach global markets across dozens of product categories. After a decade at the helm, Pandya stepped down as CEO at the end of 2023 to pursue future ventures, leaving behind a company that had fundamentally shifted the conversation around sustainable dairy.

- **Role:** Co-founder (former CEO) at Perfect Day; Board Director at New Harvest
- **Organizations:** Perfect Day, The Urgent Company, nth bio, New Harvest
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Perfect Day, which raised approximately $800 million in total venture funding over a decade, Named Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019, Tufts University Alumni Award recipient, 2020

## Career timeline

- **2013** — Graduated from Tufts University (Class E13); joined MassBiologics for upstream process development
- **2014** — Co-founded Perfect Day (initially named 'Muufri') with Perumal Gandhi and Isha Datar in Cork, Ireland, through the Synbiota accelerator; company incorporated April 28, 2014
- **2016** — Rebranded company from 'Muufri' to 'Perfect Day'; shifted focus from consumer milk to B2B ingredient supply
- **2018** — Announced partnership with Archer Daniels Midland for commercial-scale non-animal whey protein production
- **2019** — Launched first consumer product - limited run of 1,000 units of animal-free ice cream; named Forbes 30 Under 30
- **2020** — Co-founded The Urgent Company (consumer brand arm); launched Brave Robot ice cream; Bob Iger joined Perfect Day board; Series C funding brought total to $360M
- **2021-2022** — Expanded into cream cheese (Modern Kitchen), protein powders (California Performance Co.), and flavored milk (Bored Cow)
- **2023** — Led launch of nth bio subsidiary to license fermentation platform; secured pre-Series E round of up to $90M
- **2024** — Stepped down as CEO on December 31, 2023, after 10 years; transitioned to focus on future opportunities

## Achievements

- Co-founded Perfect Day, which raised approximately $800 million in total venture funding over a decade
- Named Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019
- Tufts University Alumni Award recipient, 2020
- Achieved fermentation yields 5-10x higher than industry experts initially thought possible
- Built partnerships with Fortune 500 food and beverage companies and over a dozen global product categories
- Pioneered precision fermentation as a viable commercial pathway for animal-free dairy proteins
- Co-created Brave Robot ice cream, the first consumer brand to market animal-free dairy protein ice cream at scale
- Launched nth bio to license Perfect Day's fermentation platform to other companies

## Latest updates

- **2024-01** — Stepped down as CEO of Perfect Day after 10 years; TM Narayan installed as interim CEO; Perfect Day closed pre-Series E round of up to $90M
- **2024-01** — Joined New Harvest as Board Director, focusing on sustainable food innovation
- **2023-12** — Perfect Day launched nth bio subsidiary to license precision fermentation platform to other companies

## Links

- Website: https://perfectday.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanpandya
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/muufri
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/muufri

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ryan-pandya
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-23