San Francisco, US – 15 May, 2025 - GOZEN, the biotechnology scale-up behind LUNAFORM™, has restructured its leadership as it enters its next stage of commercial growth. Former CEO Ece Gözen has become Chief Innovation Officer and Creative Director, appointing Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki as her successor.
Formerly GOZEN’s Chief Product Officer, Uncu Aki brings a track record of delivering commercial success across the textile value chain during her 25-year career. GOZEN’s leadership changes support the ongoing rollout of LUNAFORM, following the adoption of the advanced biomaterial by its brand partners Balenciaga and Beymen Collection.
Ece Gözen founded GOZEN in 2022 combining her vision for progressive design with state-of-the-art-biotechnology. Her breakthrough material innovation, LUNAFORM, draws inspiration from generative processes found in nature and is known for its strength, drape and biophilic texture. Under her leadership, the company has launched LUNAFORM’s first commercial range, secured partnerships with leading luxury brands, and opened a vast production facility (40,000 sq ft) in Istanbul.
GOZEN’s next chapter is defined by dynamic female leadership, creating a new material reality through science, design and nature-led innovation.
New GOZEN CEO Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki, brings 25 years of leadership experience in operations, commercial strategy and business growth, alongside her PhD in Textile Technology & Management. She joined GOZEN in January 2024 as Chief Product Officer. The decision to appoint her as CEO is a natural evolution of GOZEN’s leadership journey. With her expertise in managing over $100 million in P&L for textile companies, she will oversee the delivery of LUNAFORM to product industries across mass, premium and luxury segments.
Ece Gözen will continue to drive GOZEN’s creative leadership across material innovation, design strategy, and brand expression as Chief Innovation Officer & Creative Director. In this role she will deepen the company’s collaboration with customer design teams; co-developing new material qualities and facilitating the creation of exceptional products crafted with LUNAFORM. Co-founder and COO Pelin Gözen will continue to lead GOZEN’s product roadmap and operational excellence.
Ece Gözen comments: “Sedef is a true expert in scaling material innovation and the perfect leader to oversee our next phase of growth. I’m thrilled to have her step up as CEO. We’ll continue working closely together, while Sedef's overall leadership of the business will allow me to dive even deeper into the creative potential of LUNAFORM, both in the lab and with our brand partners.”
Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki comments: “Ever since our paths crossed I’ve followed Ece’s journey closely - excited to see a Turkish woman at the forefront of biodesign. Ece is a visionary working across disciplines, and her vision for a world of conscious creativity drives our work at GOZEN. My focus now is to turn purpose into performance - building on our momentum to make LUNAFORM the biomaterial of choice for leading brands worldwide.”
Po Bronson, Managing Director at GOZEN investor, SOSV, adds: “With Ece driving innovation and Sedef steering growth, GOZEN is led by a creator shaping its vision and a builder at the heart of its operations. The new team structure strengthens GOZEN’s ability to scale with focus and to harness its creative capabilities - exactly what’s needed to continue growing the adoption of LUNAFORM.”
With these changes in place, GOZEN is poised to deliver the next era of material innovation to product brands in the fashion industry and beyond.
