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ABOUT US

People and planet first

Our mission is to accelerate the world’s usage of renewable hemp and bio-based materials at scale to help minimize the effects of climate change on the planet, and to promote a culture of healthy living and sustainability.

Our Story

We founded BastLab before US federal and state legislatures began contemplating the legalization of industrial hemp. We were frequently met with skepticism, but we continued to position ourselves for what we thought was inevitable: the emergence of a U.S. industrial hemp industry.

We appreciate the interdependencies of supply chains, especially those of a new industry, and we’ve developed novel processing equipment based on proprietary technology to help meet some of those supply chain challenges. Constructed from hemp, our unique performance-driven products leverage the plant’s inherent attributes.

BastLab has also established a manufacturing supply chain in India after three years of vetting manufacturers. From farmers to potential commercial partners, we’ve built critical relationships, and we’ve created a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds, which brings over 70 years of experience to this emerging industry.

Building a Great Team

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John Carpenter

CEO & Cofounder
  • Finance, strategy and management professional, and entrepreneur.
  • Former employers include the Tunisian Government, BFGoodrich, First National Bank of Omaha and PayPal.
  • BA in International Relations from the University of Notre Dame & MBA from the University of Michigan.
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Tapan Chatterjee

CTO
  • Entrepreneur and business builder.
  • JD & CPA credentials.
  • C-suite executive with 20+ years of experience in management, strategy and finance
  • Former executive at West Corporation and First Data Corporation.
  • Founded start-up specialty finance business.
  • BSBA from Creighton University and JD from University of Houston
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Rob Johnson

CFO
  • Finance, strategy and management professional, and entrepreneur.
  • Former employers include the Tunisian Government, BFGoodrich, First National Bank of Omaha and PayPal.
  • BA in International Relations from the University of Notre Dame & MBA from the University of Michigan.
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Tarit Chatterjee

Manager of Operations
  • Natural fibers expert.
  • Deep applied knowledge of bast fibers’ properties, use as inputs into textiles, and methods of processing them.
  • Former Director of Operations at Natural Textiles Solutions: Engaged in all stages of operations from procurement of natural fibers through their use in the customer’s end product.
  • BS from Temple University
    with a concentration in marketing and international business.
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Mark Pluta

COO & Cofounder
  • Logistics, operations optimization, supply chain strategist, and entrepreneur.
  • Formerly employed by the Union Pacific Railroad, where he advanced to the Business Director responsible for west coast operations. 
  • MS from Virginia Tech University & MBA from Carnegie Mellon.
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Reach out to us

We partner with a wide variety of individuals and companies operating along the emerging industrial hemp supply chain to engineer and design the products of the future – where premium performance and sustainability are the standard.

Business Inquiries