KGI 2025 Professional Achievement Award Recipient
When Samet Yildirim, ’13 MBS, accepted the Professional Achievement Award at KGI’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni Awards, the recognition reflected not only his leadership in biotechnology but also his boldness in redefining what’s possible in regenerative medicine. As Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of HexemBio, Yildirim is leading a movement to rejuvenate the human blood and immune system using the company’s breakthrough synthetic human yolk sac platform.
At HeXem Bio, Yildirim and his team are developing a new class of regenerative therapies that restore vitality to a patient’s own blood stem cells, the source of every cell in the blood and immune system. By recreating the natural microenvironment where these cells first develop in the womb, HexemBio has achieved rejuvenation of aged hematopoietic stem cells, unlocking the potential to rebuild the immune system, reduce bone marrow transplant failure, and enhance overall organ function and longevity.
Rewriting the Rules
Before arriving at KGI, Yildirim was pursuing a PhD in biophysics and running his first startup in Türkiye. Inspired by KGI’s interdisciplinary model that bridges science and business, he redirected his focus from academia to biotechnology innovation, setting the foundation for his career as a translational entrepreneur.
“I completed my first venture to fully dedicate myself to understanding how science can be transformed into real-world solutions, and I came to KGI,” he said
Once enrolled in KGI’s Masters of Bioscience (now Master of Science and Business in Biotechnology (MBS) program, he immersed himself in every opportunity.
“I was leaving campus around 2-3 a.m. every day, running independent studies in a variety of laboratories,” he said. “In the second year, I was also working part‑time with Sean Gallagher at UVP to learn more about product innovation and commercialization.”
After graduation, Yildirim spent nearly a decade at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he served as Global Head of Technology and Innovation in the Biopharma Business Unit. He led a global portfolio focused on advancing next-generation manufacturing technologies, including continuous and integrated processing, disposable platforms and digitalization. Yildirim forged strategic partnerships across the full innovation spectrum, working with early-stage startups, leading academic research institutes, and major global biopharma competitors. Through these partnerships, he helped bring emerging technologies into industrial pipelines and strengthened Boehringer’s position as a leader in advanced biomanufacturing. Collaborating closely with the regulatory agencies, industry consortia, and corporate partners, he accelerated the adoption of transformative bioprocess innovations across the sector. His contributions earned him the Global Technology Award and the Trail Blazer Award for leadership and innovation.
He later co-founded Y Combinator backed biotechnology startup focused on developing scalable primary cell culture technologies and sustainable food solutions. The company raised around 15 million dollars in venture financing and was recently acquired by another biotechnology company.
HeXem Bio: Rejuvenating the Blood System
At HeXem Bio, Yildirim and his co-founders are advancing a breakthrough regenerative medicine platform that rejuvenates a patient’s own blood stem cells. These cells give rise to every component of the blood and immune system, and their decline with age underlies many diseases and vulnerabilities. The team has developed a synthetic human yolk sac platform that restores stem cell vitality and regenerative function.
In preclinical models, this rejuvenation process has shown up to a tenfold improvement in bone marrow transplant outcomes, positioning the technology to address one of regenerative medicine’s greatest challenges: restoring immune and hematopoietic function in patients with transplant failure or age-related decline. Beyond transplantation, the same platform holds promise for tackling chronic conditions associated with aging and tissue degeneration, including neurological, reproductive, liver, and skin disorders.
HexemBio’s research has been published in Nature and featured by The New York Times and Nasdaq for its potential to redefine human longevity and regenerative health. The company is co-founded by leading scientists in stem-cell engineering and CRISPR technology, including recipients of the U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the DARPA Young Investigator Award. HexemBio is backed by top investors such as Draper Associates, SOSV, and Seraphim, and continues to attract global partnerships across regenerative medicine, cosmetics, and longevity research.
Giving Back Through Mentorship and TMPs
Throughout his career, Yildirim has remained deeply connected to KGI, sponsoring more than 15 Team Master’s Projects (TMPs) — the most of any KGI alum — and mentoring students across programs. He sees TMPs, where students partner with leading biotech companies to solve real-world challenges, as mutually beneficial for both students and industry partners.
“Students are super creative and intelligent,” Yildirim said. “They’re not afraid of anything because they’re not influenced by typical business boundaries, so they generate a significant amount of valuable information. We’ve even published patents with students in a TMP.”
He credits his own TMP experience with shaping his approach to leadership and mentorship.
“My TMP was challenging,” he said. “I appreciate it because it pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and I carry that same mindset today when guiding teams and students.”
Yildirim also serves on KGI’s Amgen Bioprocessing Center Advisory Board, continuing to bridge academia and industry.
A Community That Lasts
Returning to campus to receive the Professional Achievement Award brought a wave of reflection.
“I’m very proud and honored,” he said. “KGI was not just a two‑year education for me, it became a lifelong community that continues to shape my journey.”
He hopes the Institute continues to strengthen alumni connections so graduates can, in turn, support KGI and one another.
When asked what advice he would give to prospective students, his response was immediate.
“You will never regret coming to KGI,” Yildirim said. “Every step in my professional life, KGI has been behind me — connecting me with job opportunities, investors, advisers, mentors and collaborators — and supporting my ventures. It’s only reward at the end.”
With HexemBio advancing the science of stem-cell rejuvenation and a new generation of KGI students stepping into industry, Yildirim continues to demonstrate the power of applied science, entrepreneurial thinking, and a community that pays it forward.