Kitiya Vongkamjan on Building Safer Food Systems from Thailand to the World

In Episode 40 of The Exponential Show, host Mayank Singh sits down with Kitiya Vongkamjan, Founder and CEO of UniFAHS, for a conversation on food safety, biotech, phage technology, entrepreneurship, and building science-led solutions from Thailand for global markets.

Kitiya’s journey spans academia, research, food science, and entrepreneurship. Through UniFAHS, she is working on phage-based innovations that improve food safety and sustainability across the food supply chain, from farms to processing plants and beyond.

The episode is supported by True Digital Park, Thailand’s most comprehensive soft-landing platform for international individuals and companies. True Digital Park brings together workspace, community, and ecosystem support to help businesses and talent launch, grow, and scale in Thailand.

From Research Lab to Biotech Founder

Kitiya began her career as a researcher, spending more than 15 years in the lab working on experiments, food science, and microbial technologies. Her scientific journey eventually led her to explore bacteriophages, often described as “bacteria eaters.”

These tiny microorganisms are viral particles that can target specific bacteria. For Kitiya, their potential was clear: instead of relying heavily on antibiotics or chemical treatments to control harmful bacteria in food systems, phage technology could offer a more natural and targeted alternative.

Her work began during her graduate studies at Cornell, where she looked at how bacteriophages could be used to tackle disease infections, improve food safety, and promote better health and wellness. Over time, that research evolved into a commercial vision.

That vision became UniFAHS.

The Problem UniFAHS Is Solving

At the heart of UniFAHS is a simple but urgent question: how do we make food safer without relying on excessive chemicals and antibiotics?

For Kitiya, clean and safe food means food that is free from harmful foodborne pathogens. Traditionally, many parts of the food supply chain have relied on chemicals and antibiotics to control these “bad bugs.” But this creates its own risks, especially as the world becomes more concerned about antimicrobial resistance and the rise of superbugs.

Kitiya believes the better approach is to use nature-based solutions. UniFAHS’ technology is designed to control harmful bacteria across the food supply chain while reducing the need for antibiotics and chemical treatments.

This has important implications for farms, processing facilities, food producers, and ultimately consumers. Safer production can lead to safer food on the table, while also supporting sustainability goals and reducing the burden of antibiotic use in agriculture and food systems.

From Farm to Fork and Beyond

UniFAHS did not begin by trying to solve every food safety challenge at once. Kitiya’s early work focused on processed food and ready-to-eat products, including ways to reduce chemical treatments in processed meat and other food products.

But as she looked more closely at the food supply chain, she saw a bigger opportunity at the source.

Animal farming, poultry production, shrimp farming, pig farming, and other primary production systems often use antibiotics early in the process. Since Southeast Asia plays such a major role in global food production, Kitiya saw the region as a natural place to apply the technology.

Thailand and Southeast Asia are often described as part of the “kitchen of the world.” The region produces large volumes of poultry, shrimp, and other agricultural and animal-based products for both domestic and global markets. That makes it a meaningful place to build food safety solutions that can scale.

Today, UniFAHS is working across more of the supply chain, from farms to processing and beyond. The company’s long-term direction also extends beyond food safety into animal health and, eventually, human health.

Why Thailand and Southeast Asia Matter

For Kitiya, building from Thailand is not just a personal choice. It is also a strategic one.

The region has deep agricultural strength, major food production capacity, and a clear need for better safety and sustainability solutions. Food producers are under increasing pressure to improve quality, reduce chemical inputs, meet sustainability targets, and produce responsibly.

This creates a strong opportunity for biotech and agritech companies that can help producers improve productivity while also aligning with environmental and consumer expectations.

At the same time, Kitiya is clear about the challenges. Phage technology is still relatively new to many potential customers. That means education is a major part of the journey. UniFAHS has had to work closely with food producers to explain how the technology works, how it differs from traditional treatments, and how it can fit into existing operations.

In some cases, customers have even helped UniFAHS identify new applications for the technology. This has turned education into collaboration, and collaboration into product development.

Raising Capital in a Difficult Market

Kitiya also reflects on the realities of fundraising during a difficult market environment.

When UniFAHS raised its seed round, the funding climate was already challenging. Many founders in Thailand and Southeast Asia have experienced the same reality: capital is harder to access, investors are more selective, and companies are expected to show clearer paths to traction, revenue, and scalability.

For Kitiya, one of the biggest lessons was the importance of finding investors who understand both the technology and the market.

Because UniFAHS is building in a region-specific context, not every investor immediately understood why Southeast Asia was the right first market. Some investors from outside the region questioned whether the market was the right fit. But investors based in Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines were better able to understand the problem, the customer base, and the regional opportunity.

Her advice to founders is clear: look for investors who understand your technology, your market, and your growth path. Especially at the seed stage, alignment matters.

Untapped Opportunities in Biotech and Agritech

Looking at the wider biotech and agritech landscape, Kitiya sees major opportunities for nature-based solutions.

As chemical and petroleum-based inputs become more expensive, producers may become more open to biotechnology-driven alternatives. This changes the traditional assumption that nature-based or sustainable solutions are always more expensive. In some cases, the economics are becoming more favorable.

Kitiya also sees an important role for AI and machine learning in biotech. At UniFAHS, the team is using internal machine learning systems to help customize formulations for specific customers and use cases. By analyzing bacterial data and historical patterns across the food supply chain, UniFAHS can create more targeted solutions for poultry, shrimp, and food production facilities.

This is where biotech, data, and AI can work together. The goal is not to use technology for the sake of it, but to solve customer problems with greater speed, accuracy, and precision.

What Parenting Taught Kitiya About Building a Company

Beyond science and entrepreneurship, Kitiya also shares how being a parent has shaped the way she works.

For her, balancing founder life and family life comes down to understanding one’s own capacity, managing time intentionally, and knowing when to ask for help. Everyone has the same number of days in a month, but how those days are structured makes a difference.

She also emphasizes the importance of having the right support system, both at work and at home. A founder cannot build alone. A strong team, a supportive partner, and people who understand the mission all make the journey more sustainable.

That lesson applies to leadership as well. Building a company requires clarity, trust, and the ability to work with people who understand both the ambition and the reality of the journey.

What’s Next for UniFAHS

Since raising its seed round, UniFAHS has grown significantly. The team has expanded from a small founding group to more than 20 people, with operations and market ambitions across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and beyond.

The company is now looking toward its pre-Series A stage and expanding into markets including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Gulf region. For Kitiya, this next phase is about showing that a science-led company from Thailand can scale globally.

The name UniFAHS reflects that broader vision. It stands for unique phage-based solutions across Food, Animal, Human, and Safety. While the company began with food safety, the long-term ambition extends across animal health and human health as well.

For founders and scientists building deep-tech solutions, Kitiya’s message is simple: stay close to the customer.

Technology should not exist in isolation. It needs to solve real problems for real customers. By listening carefully, adapting quickly, and building around customer needs, founders can discover the next version of their technology and move faster with greater purpose.