Talk:Modern Meadow

This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.

Hello. As a Modern Meadow employee, I have a Conflict of Interest so I am proposing changes for an independent review. I believe these request improvements will address the issues raised in the warning boxes on this article’s page.

REQUEST ONE

In the Lead, the first paragraph, please replace the second citation at the end of the second sentence. Replaces a press release with a CNN story. Moves the citations to the parts of the sentence they support.

“The company was co-founded by Andras Forgacs, Gabor Forgacs, Karoly Jakab and Francoise Marga in 2011,^[1] and is based in Nutley, New Jersey.^[2]

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST TWO

In the History section, please replace the first paragraph. The proposed replacement removes extraneous details and information only supported by a press release. It also adds a more concise summary of the company's founding goals, as reported by an in-depth story in The Atlantic.

From:

In 2006, Forgacs and his father Gabor, along with Keith Murphy and Eric David, co-founded Organovo, a company that uses 3-D printing of human tissue for medical research.^[3] Driven by the lack of sustainable material alternatives, in 2011 Andras and Gabor pulled a small scientific team together to form Modern Meadow. The company’s goal was to look at the starting point for the creation of biofabricated materials, which is proteins. Since its inception, Modern Meadow has experimented with several different biofabrication processes and has evolved its approach to creating materials which support sustainability while also prioritizing performance, aesthetics, and accessibility.”^[4][5]

to:

In 2011, Andras Forgacs and his father Gabor Forgacs, Jakab and Marga co-founded Modern Meadow.^[6] The company’s initial goal was to create leather and meat in tissue cultures, without the use of live animals.^[7]

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST THREE

In the History section, the second paragraph, please replace the paragraph. The proposal eliminates extraneous details by removing the list of investor names. It also eliminates the description of the partner company, which already has its own Wikipedia page. Adds a new reliable source.

From:

The company has raised over $54 million from investors including Singapore’s Temasek, ICONIQ Capital, ARTIS Ventures, Peter Thiel’s Breakout Labs and Horizon Ventures, and the private investment fund of the Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing.^[8][9] In 2018, Modern Meadow signed an agreement with Evonik, a chemical company that specializes in microbial fermentation with the goal of commercially producing biofabricated materials.

to:

In 2018, Modern Meadow partnered with Evonik to commercially produce biofabricated materials.^[10][2]

Modern Meadow entered into a joint venture in 2021 with Limonta, an Italian textiles and materials company, to create BioFabricca. The new company creates sustainable materials through a process called biofabrication.^[11][12]

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST FOUR

In the History section, the third paragraph, please delete the first sentence. It’s probably promotional, at least in the context of an article about the company.

Modern Meadow’s co-founder and chief executive Andras Forgacs was named to Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40 list in 2016, and the company was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a 2018 Technology Pioneer.^[13][14]

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST FIVE

In the History section, please replace the final paragraph. The change adds a WP: RS and is rewritten to just provide the basic location information.

From:

In 2017, Modern Meadow relocated its headquarters to a 72,900 sq ft state-of-the-art laboratory in Nutley, New Jersey, having outgrown their previous location in Sunset Park, New York. The company also established a design and applied research studio at New Lab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.”^[15]

to:

The company is headquartered in Nutley, New Jersey.^[2]

 Not done Introduction modified to show HQ in Nutley. Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST SIX

In the Technology section, please replace the only paragraph in its entirety. The current sources are press releases and the company website. The tone of the sentences is not neutral. In the replacement, I have added severalWP: RS and re-written them in a WP: NPOV.

The current sources are press releases and the company website. The tone of the sentences is not neutral. In the replacement, I have added severalWP: RS and re-written it in a WP: NPOV.

From:

Initially, Modern Meadow used principles of tissue engineering for the development of materials...^[16]

to:

The company makes plant-based protein biopolymers to create a variety of textiles. It combines plant-based proteins with bio-based polyurethane. The resulting polymer blend is called Bio-Alloy.^[12][17][2]

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST SEVEN

Please remove the entire ZOA section. All the sources fail the reliable sources policy.

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST EIGHT

Please replace the image for the company logo in the infobox. There is a newer logo.

From:

| logo = Modern Meadow logo.png

to

| logo = MODERN-MEADOW-LOGO.png

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

REQUEST NINE

Please remove the boxes atop the article. I have addressed the unsourced or poorly sourced content; removed promotional and non-neutral language. I have disclosed that I have a conflict of interest as an employee of Modern Meadow, though I am not paid anything extra or special to create this proposal; with this disclosure, there’s no need for a box asking to clean up the absence of a disclosure. There is now in-depth press coverage from The Atlantic, CNN, Scientific American, Vogue Business Insider – obviously far beyond the “routine coverage” of press releases, which have now been replaced with secondary sources.

 Done Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

Thank you. Olympus4Me2 (talk) 15:52, 15 August 2022 (UTC) Olympus4Me2 (talk) 15:52, 15 August 2022 (UTC)

@Olympus4Me2 Edits made as noted above. Nice request...well done. Cheers Duke Gilmore (talk) 23:49, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.

Hello. I have a Conflict of Interest as an employee of Modern Meadow so I’m submitting proposed additions for independent review. The suggested changes below provide updated information about the company’s structure and technologies. Thanks for your time and feedback.

REQUEST ONE

In the Infobox, please change the company’s industry to so that it reflects the information stated in the Lead:

Modern Meadow is an American biotechnology company that uses biofabrication to create sustainable materials. The company was co-founded by Andras Forgacs, Gabor Forgacs, Karoly Jakab and Francoise Marga in 2011, and is based in Nutley, New Jersey.^[1][2]

From:

| industry = Cellular agriculture

To:

| industry = Biotechnology

REQUEST TWO

In the Infobox, please update the location of the company’s headquarters so that it reflects the information stated in the Lead: Modern Meadow is an American biotechnology company that uses biofabrication to create sustainable materials. The company was co-founded by Andras Forgacs, Gabor Forgacs, Karoly Jakab and Francoise Marga in 2011, and is based in Nutley, New Jersey.^[3][2]

From:

| location_city = Brooklyn, New York

To:

| location_city = Nutley, New Jersey

REQUEST THREE

In the Infobox, please add a line beneath Headquarters to indicate Key people, listing Catherine Roggero-Lovis as CEO, which has been established in an above request, as well as Gabor Forgacs as co-founder. This kind of information is typical in Good Articles like Reynolds and Reynolds, Tesla, Inc., and Tapad:

|key_people = Catherine Roggero-Lovis (CEO),^[4] Gabor Forgacs (co-founder)

REQUEST FOUR

In the second sentence of the lead section, please add a Wikilink for co-founder Gabor Forgacs.

The company was co-founded by Andras Forgacs, Gabor Forgacs, Karoly Jakab and Francoise Marga in 2011, and is based in Nutley, New Jersey.^[5][2]

REQUEST FIVE

In the History section, please add a paragraph after the fourth paragraph. The proposed addition reflects the current leadership of the company, which I have also updated above in the Infobox in Request Three:

In 2022, Catherine Roggero-Lovisi became the company’s CEO.^[4]

REQUEST SIX

In the Technology section, please add a sentence after the third sentence in the first paragraph. The proposed sentence relies on a reliable industry publications to add information about technologies developed from the Bio-Alloy platform:

Bio-Alloy is used to create plant-based leather alternatives including Bio-Tex, which the company developed for the American fashion brand Tory Burch;^[6] as well as Bio-VERA, a blend of biomaterial and synthetic polymer substrate^[7] made for use in transportation, wall coverings, and interior design.^[8]

REQUEST SEVEN

In the Technology section, please add a paragraph after the first paragraph. The proposed paragraph describes an additional technology developed by the company:

The company produces an animal-free collagen called Bio-Collagen for use in cosmetics.^[9] Ahashake111 (talk) 19:25, 23 October 2023 (UTC)

Hi, I just want to leave a note to let other editors know that I am taking over these requests from my colleague, User: Ahashake111, who posted them. I am also an employee at Modern Meadow and have disclosed my conflict of interest on my user page, and am doing so here as well. Puri20 (talk) 18:54, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

Partly done I've updated the infobox and added the mentioning of the CEO to the main body of the article. The claims referenced by Sourcing Journal, ethos, and Personal Care Insights were not added, as these are largely based on company talking points. Wikipedia articles should be about what reliable, independent secondary sources say about a company, not what the company says about itself. There are links to the company's website placed in the infobox (and one in the just-added External links section) where readers may access the company to learn more about its products. Regards,  Spintendo  23:41, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

I am reposting Request Six from the proposal above here for a second look, which was declined by Spintendo, who said that “The claims referenced by Sourcing Journal [and] ethos [. . .] were not added, as these are largely based on company talking points” and that “Wikipedia articles should be about what reliable, independent secondary sources say about a company, not what the company says about itself.”

Here is the reposted request:

REQUEST SIX

In the Technology section, please add a sentence after the third sentence in the first paragraph. The proposed sentence relies on a reliable industry publications to add information about technologies developed from the Bio-Alloy platform:

Bio-Alloy is used to create plant-based leather alternatives including Bio-Tex, which the company developed for the American fashion brand Tory Burch;^[1] as well as Bio-VERA, a blend of biomaterial and synthetic polymer substrate^[2] made for use in transportation, wall coverings, and interior design.^[3]

I am revisiting this because I don’t understand how there is not enough independent journalistic analysis here. Both Sourcing Journal and ethos have independent editorial oversight, and both of the feature stories cited in this request have bylines saying that each piece was written either by a named journalist or at least a member of the staff. It’s true that both articles report on what Modern Meadow says in their feature pieces, but that’s because including the perspective of the subject of a feature story is standard journalistic practice, it’s not the same thing as a press release which is written by a company. So I respectfully request this item be reconsidered since the sourcing is independent of the company. Puri20 (talk) 03:45, 13 February 2024 (UTC) Puri20 (talk) 03:45, 13 February 2024 (UTC)

 Done

Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented.

Hello. The three suggested changes below provide updated information about the company. I have a Conflict of Interest as an employee of Modern Meadow so I’m submitting them for review. @Duke Gilmore: Since you recently reviewed other request edits made by my colleague, Puri20, and are familiar with the article, I thought I would let you know I requested three new ones. Thank you.

1: In the History section, please add the following to become the new seventh paragraph. Add updated information about the company’s leadership that was reported by a reliable industry source.

David Williamson was appointed CEO in 2024.^[1]

Done

2: In the History section, please add the following to become the new sixth paragraph. Adds information about a more recent product development that was reported by a reliable industry source.

In 2024, the company partnered with an Australian activewear brand founded by the Olympic swimmer Bronte Campbell to design a waterproof jacket made of Modern Meadow’s Bio-Alloy material.^[2]

Not done: See below.

3: In the History section, please add the following to become the new fifth paragraph. Adds information about a more recent technology developed by the company and a noteworthy award that was reported in a reliable industry source.

In 2023, the company received the EPA Green Chemistry award for the development of a dyeing technology that uses a mixture of plant-based proteins and biopolymers.^[3]

Done

Thank you for reviewing these suggested updates.IdeationWay (talk) 18:29, 3 December 2024 (UTC) IdeationWay (talk) 18:29, 3 December 2024 (UTC)

Hello @IdeationWay, sorry for the delay.

2: Not done: The provided source's (syndicated from here) lead sentence says "Biomaterial company Modern Meadow says it’s ready to take its Bio-Vera leather alternative to the commercial market." and the rest of the body largely carries the tone, appearing to mostly be a repackaged press release and not the kind of independent coverage that good reliable sources have. Its this combined with the fact that it appears to be fairly routine coverage of normal business operations (a "biotechnology company that uses biofabrication to create sustainable materials" using biofabrication to create a sustainable material). Not to say that front-page coverage across the largest national papers is required, but more widespread and independent coverage indicating greater notability would be needed for the topic to be due for inclusion.

Additionally the wording as-given appears promotional by giving primary focus to the company's partnership with a famous person and their brand to create a single jacket, leaving the actual innovation, the Bio-Vera/Alloy materials, as a secondary thought at the end of the sentence. fifteen thousand two hundred twenty four (talk) 23:42, 11 May 2025 (UTC)

This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.

Hi there! Wondering if a neutral editor could update to the current CEO in the infobox. I have a declared COI so won’t do it myself. Thanks!

Please update the infobox to reflect the current CEO, as established in the body of the article.

Change from:

| key_people = Catherine Roggero-Lovis (CEO)^[1]

Change to:

| key_people = David Williamson (CEO)^[2]

Thanks for your help! IdeationWay (talk) 18:06, 29 May 2025 (UTC)

Done fifteen thousand two hundred twenty four (talk) 18:39, 29 May 2025 (UTC)