Michelle Ruiz is CEO and founder of Hyfé. She is a chemical engineer with nearly a decade of experience in manufacturing and refining as a process and capital projects engineer at ExxonMobil. In 2021, she launched Hyfé to convert food processing waste into high-value ingredients using a novel thermochemical refining technology. Under her leadership, the company has raised $11 million from venture capital investors including MIT’s Engine Ventures and Synthesis Capital, along with grants from the US Department of Energy. Ruiz is an Unreasonable Impact and Journey to Lead Fellow and was named to Inc.’s 2025 Female Founders 500 for her leadership in sustainable innovation. Hyfé was recognized in Norrsken’s Impact/100 for its potential to drive meaningful environmental change.