Maria Fernanda Cabal

Pioneered bioremediation technology using fungi to address environmental disasters

Maria Fernanda Cabal is a Colombian environmental scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Biobritte, a company that uses white rot fungi to biodegrade oil spills and other environmental contaminants. Born in Medellín in 1989, she developed her groundbreaking technology during her graduate studies at the University of Antioquia. Her innovation represents a paradigm shift from traditional chemical-based cleanup methods to sustainable biological solutions.

In 2014, Cabal and her team demonstrated that their fungal-based bioremediation could degrade 80% of hydrocarbons in contaminated soil within 30 days - a process that typically takes years with conventional methods. This breakthrough earned them recognition from MIT's Solve Initiative and a $100,000 grant from the Climate CoLab. Their technology has since been deployed in Colombia's Magdalena River cleanup and the 2016 Petroamazonas oil spill in Ecuador.

Biobritte's approach combines mycoremediation with AI-driven monitoring systems, creating a scalable solution for industries like agriculture and maritime transport. The company has partnered with UN Environment Programme and received the 2018 Latin American GreenTech Innovation Award. Cabal's TED Talk "How mushrooms can clean up oil spills" has over 2 million views, showcasing her global impact.