Behind the Scenes at a Revolutionary Company

Chat with a gifted entrepreneur? Check. Learn how to launch a startup? Check. Discover the science behind an innovative process? Check. See firsthand how building relationships leads to success? Check! 

Students in the Canterbury Business Association (CBA) saw all sides of operating a thriving business when they traveled to New Haven, Connecticut, to tour Protein Evolution, the first biological recycling company in the United States. There, they met with Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer Connor Lynn, who immediately bonded with his young guests.

“It was tremendous for our students to see someone not that much older than them who hit a home run with his company in a non-traditional manner,” said CBA Faculty Advisor and History Teacher Ted Smith. “Connor’s personality, smarts, and the connections he made got him where he is today.”

Chief Advancement Officer Rick Henderson P ’25, who joined Ted and the students on the trip, was equally pleased with the educational value of the visit. “The students learned a lot in those few hours,” he shared. “It was a terrific cross-disciplinary intersection of science, business startups, and how relationships are important to forming and managing a company.”

Connor founded Protein Evolution in 2021 with renowned scientist Dr. Jonathan Rothberg, a colleague from a previous job who received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama in 2015. Together, they led the development of Biopure™, a technology that uses a low-energy process to create plastic precursors that can be infinitely recycled at a competitive cost. According to its website, the company’s mission is to “decarbonize plastic production” and “evolve the world toward a low-carbon, circular economy.”

The behind-the-scenes peek at Protein Evolution was eye-opening for students. “It was fascinating to view the financial and business side of a corporation up close,” said CBA member Grayson Mengold ’26. “I am interested in both biotech and business and seeing a company combine them gave me a strong understanding of what a career path in that field may look like. I enjoyed walking through the lab and seeing the different processes come together to create recycled plastic.”

With his own personal connections to Canterbury, Connor was more than happy to host the students. His mother, Mary Coleman Lynn ’90, P ’22, ’23, is a member of the School’s Board of Trustees as well as a Saints graduate and parent, and two siblings, Owen ’22 and Olivia ’23, are also alumni.

Grayson was just as happy for the valuable lessons gained from the visit. “I learned that the path to success might not always be clear, but by following your interests and passion, you can succeed,” he said.