Why We Exist
At Naturally Genius, we are building the packaging industry's most commercially viable alternative to plastic foam, grown from mushroom material that nature perfected over millions of years.
Every minute, the world produces enough expanded polystyrene (EPS) to fill an Olympic swimming pool. Most of it ends up in landfill or the ocean, where it lingers for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics that enter our food and water.
There hasn't been a truly viable alternative... until now!
Our Story
In 2018, our founder Shaun Seaman was paddling out for a surf off the
coast of Indonesia. Expecting crystal-clear waves, he found himself instead surrounded by plastic bags and broken chunks of Styrofoam. It was a heartbreaking moment that sparked a clear question: if he didn’t do something, who would?
Back home in New Zealand, Shaun started digging into the data. EPS kept coming up as one of the worst offenders:
What started with a surfboard, some agricultural waste, and a garage full of experiments is now Naturally Genius. A company that has raised US$5.7 million, earned recognition across four continents, and is on the verge of commercial production of mushroom packaging at scale. The name has changed. The mission has not.
90%
of marine debris is made up of it.
500 years
is how long it takes to degrade.
10cm
of it could cover a football pitch every ten minutes.
Determined to find a better way, Shaun teamed up with engineer Jotinder Singh
After three years of kitchen-bench experiments and garage prototypes, they created something entirely new: compostable mycelium pellets that can run through existing EPS moulding lines and match its protective performance.
These pellets became the foundation of Naturally Genius™, formerly Mushroom Material.
What We Do
We transform agricultural waste and mycelium into high-performance, home-compostable mushroom packaging material. A direct drop-in replacement for plastic foam that integrates with existing manufacturing lines, with no new equipment required.
Designed for industrial and commercial use
A true drop-in replacement for polystyrene
Diverts waste from landfill
Breaks down at home in under three months
Whether you're shipping fragile electronics or heavy equipment, our material can protect your products and the planet.
Why it Matters
"There’s no excuse for materials that last 500 years after doing their job for five minutes."
Our goal is simple: Replace every piece of EPS with a sustainable alternative that’s better for business and the Earth.
We’re doing this for future generations of surfers, hikers, farmers, and everyone else who depends on a healthy planet.
How We Work
We keep things:
Simple
Strip problems back to first principles, then act.
Scrappy
Prove ideas using what’s in front of us.
Structured
Work to clear hypotheses and measurable goals.
Executive Team
Leading Naturally Genius™ are Shaun Seaman, Jotinder Singh, and Paul Guinibert, a team with deep roots in engineering, manufacturing, and commercial growth. As the founding team behind Mushroom Material, they built the proof of concept, closed US$5.7 million in funding, and are now bringing Naturally Genius mushroom packaging to commercial scale.
Shaun is on a mission to replace non-recyclable plastics with sustainable alternatives. Born in South Africa, raised in Dubai, and educated in New Zealand, he brings a global perspective with a background in mechanical engineering and product development. Shaun leads with a passion for innovation and sustainability, keeping things simple, scrappy, and structured - with just the right amount of coffee-fuelled chaos.
Shaun Seaman
CEO
Jotinder has over a decade of experience in automation and scaling manufacturing. With a background in mechatronics engineering, he’s helped fast-growing startups optimise production lines and solve complex challenges. Known for bringing out the best in his team, he celebrates milestones with his family’s legendary chai recipe - a tradition as carefully engineered as his production lines.
Jotinder Singh
COO
Paul brings over 20 years of experience in hardware design, automation, and scaling production, with past roles at RocketLab, NextWindow, StretchSense, and FrameCAD. He thrives on solving complex problems and pushing boundaries, combining technical brilliance with a passion for innovation. Crucial to our tech efforts, Paul has a particular talent for spending investor money - the more you give him, the faster he solves.
Paul Guinibert
CTO
Partners & Backers
If you are interested in partnering with us or exploring investment opportunities, we would love to hear from you.
In the press
Explore our featured news
Rebrand Announcement
Naturally Genius™, formerly Mushroom Material
US$5 million seed round
Mushroom Material bags US$5m seed round for fungi-based STYROFOAM™ alternative
100 Days Of Startups
Thank you Mayor Wayne Brown for putting a spotlight on Mushroom Material.
NZ Foreign Affairs & Trade
NZ-Singapore business harnesses mushroom power to replace EPS
See how our material protects
your product... and the planet.
STYROFOAM™ is a trademark owned by DDP SPECIALTY ELECTRONIC MATERIALS US, LLC