SusMer, Inc. (short for Sustainable Monomers and Polymers) was founded in 2014 by Professor Dr. Eugene Chen and Dr. Ravikumar Ramegowda to commercialize breakthrough technologies developed at CSU’s Center for Sustainable Monomers and Polymers. Initially, SusMer focused on infinitely recyclable bioplastics—a project backed by Phase I and II STTR funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. However, we have since pivoted to our proprietary P4HB chemical manufacturing process, which offers significant advantages over existing microbial methods. We have since participated in CU Ventures Research2Market (R2M) Program, Destination Startup, and Innosphere Life Sciences Regional Incubator.
The implantable medical device (IMD) industry is increasingly shifting toward bioabsorbable materials like P4HB, which outperform polypropylene and PLGA in terms of controlled degradation rates, mechanical strength, and overall patient outcomes. Our proprietary chemical process provides key sustainable competitive advantages over the microbial-based P4HB production owned by Becton, Dickinson, and Co., positioning SusMer as a disruptive force in this market.
Over the next 1-2 years, we will focus on material development, small-scale manufacturing, and customer qualifications, collaborating with leading global medical and surgical device companies to bring our innovation to market.
Meet The Team
Dr. Ravikumar Ramegowda
Co-Founder & President
Dr. Ravikumar Ramegowda Co-Founded SusMer in 2014 with Dr. Chen. Prior to joining Eugene’s research group in 2012, Dr. Ravikumar Ramegowda(Gowda) attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, for his Ph.D. in Chemistry. His experience working on various monomers, catalysts, and polymers in the ring-opening polymerization realm with a focus on catalytic biomass conversion to sustainable monomers & polymers has been invaluable to SusMer.
Dr. Eugene Chen
Co-Founder & CTO
Dr. Eugene Chen Co-Founded SusMer in 2014 with Gowda. Dr. Chen is a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor, who is world-renowned for his ability to prove new chemistry capabilities. More on Eugene’s research group can be found here.
Todd Blair
Corporate Development & Strategy, Interim CEO
Todd Blair brings over 20 years of commercial leadership and corporate development experience in the medical device industry, with past roles at Johnson & Johnson, Confluent Medical, and Heraeus Medical. At SusMer, Todd leads commercialization strategy, supports the Seed and Series A fundraising efforts, and drives customer acquisition with major OEMs and CDMOs. He is helping expand the company’s capabilities beyond pellets and films by building out downstream, value-added services such as ready-to-use medical-grade forms and semi-finished sub-assemblies. His industry expertise in implantable biomaterials, strong network, and leadership are critical to accelerating commercialization, maximizing shareholder value, and preparing SusMer for sustainable growth and potential exit opportunities.
Jake Larger
CFO and COO
Jake is helping SusMer reduce risk in its business model with a mission to successfully fund the commercialization of SusMer’s proprietary technologies. He joined SusMer in 2019 after studying Accounting and Entrepreneurship at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business and recently earned his MBA from the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business. Jake focuses on building traction with OEMs, CMO/CDMOs, and medical and surgical device companies by helping them realize the unique value SusMer’s scalable chemistry can deliver to their products and supply chains. He also leads the development and refinement of SusMer’s pro forma financial models and investor pitch decks to support fundraising and strategic growth efforts.
Our Mission
To accelerate the world’s transition towards more sustainable material solutions through proprietary chemical processes.