Native Microbials Taps New CEO to Scale Animal Health Innovation

SAN DIEGO, CA – April 22, 2026 – Native Microbials, Inc., a San Diego-based leader in animal health technology, has appointed industry veteran Jason Benater as its new Chief Executive Officer in a strategic move designed to accelerate its commercial growth. The appointment, effective April 15, marks a pivotal new chapter for the company, which has spent over a decade building a powerful platform based on animal-native microbes.

Benater, who will also join the Board of Directors, takes the helm from co-founder Mike Seely. After 11 years as CEO, Seely will transition to a member of the Board and a strategic advisor. The company stated this carefully planned succession is intended to leverage its strong scientific foundation for a new phase of aggressive market expansion and commercial scaling.

A Strategic Shift to Commercial Scale

Jason Benater’s appointment signals a clear strategic pivot from a research-and-development-focused organization to a commercial powerhouse. With over 25 years of leadership experience across the pet and human health sectors, Benater brings a formidable track record of driving revenue and building high-performance commercial teams.

His most notable tenure was a two-decade career at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he held multiple leadership roles, including within its Animal Health division. There, he was instrumental in driving more than $350 million in additional topline sales growth while simultaneously boosting profitability. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer for Eversana, honing his expertise in full-cycle commercialization strategies. This background makes him uniquely suited to lead Native Microbials as it seeks to translate its scientific breakthroughs into widespread market adoption.

"I am honored to join Native Microbials at such an exciting time in the Company's evolution," Benater said in a statement. "Mike and the team have built a truly exceptional technology platform, a strong portfolio of products, and a world-class team committed to customer success. My focus will be on accelerating our commercial strategy, deepening customer and distribution partnerships, and building on Native's strong foundation to expand our impact across animal health."

His leadership is expected to intensify the company’s focus on sales infrastructure, distribution networks, and customer partnerships, transforming its innovative product pipeline into a significant revenue engine.

Building on a Founder's Legacy

While Benater brings a new commercial focus, the transition is designed to preserve the company’s foundational vision. Co-founder Mike Seely guided Native Microbials from its inception in 2015, transforming it from what he called a "pioneering concept into a high-growth, profitable organization." Under his leadership, the company, formerly known as Ascus Biosciences, established itself as a scientific leader, launching flagship products like Galaxis Frontier for dairy cattle and Avius Protect for poultry.

Seely oversaw the development of the company's core technology and forged key strategic partnerships, including a distribution agreement with Premier Select Sires that expanded the reach of its rumen-native microbial products. In his new capacity as a board member and strategic advisor, Seely will continue to shape the company’s long-term vision, innovation strategy, and growth priorities, ensuring a seamless blend of founder-led scientific integrity and new commercial drive.

"Co-founding and leading Native Microbials over the past 11 years has been an incredibly rewarding journey," Seely stated. "Native is entering an exciting new chapter, and this is the right moment to bring in a leader with Jason's deep expertise in building commercial organizations, expanding market reach, and strengthening distribution excellence. I have tremendous confidence in Jason's leadership and look forward to supporting the team's continued success."

The Science of "Animal-Native" Solutions

Native Microbials' competitive edge lies in its unique scientific approach. Unlike many competitors that use generalized probiotic strains, the company isolates, characterizes, and cultivates beneficial microbes that are native to the specific animals they are intended to help. This philosophy is built on the premise that the most effective way to improve an animal's health is by restoring and enhancing the microbial communities that have co-evolved with it for millennia.

The company operates a proprietary end-to-end platform that encompasses microbial discovery, fermentation, formulation, and delivery. It claims to possess the world's largest and most comprehensive animal-associated microbiome datasets and strain libraries. This allows its scientists to identify “keystone microbes” that are highly correlated with positive health and productivity outcomes. For its dairy product, Galaxis Frontier, the company analyzed rumen content from thousands of cows to isolate four microbes that are now delivered in a patented, encapsulated form to improve rumen health and milk production.

This focus on next-generation, scientifically validated microbial ingredients positions the company to meet growing demand for natural, effective alternatives to antibiotics and other synthetic interventions in livestock and companion animals.

Navigating a Booming Animal Health Market

The leadership transition comes at an opportune moment. The global animal health market, valued at over $67 billion in 2024, is on a steep growth trajectory, projected to exceed $128 billion by 2033. This expansion is fueled by powerful trends, including a rising global demand for animal protein, increased focus on sustainable agriculture, and the “pet humanization” phenomenon driving higher spending on companion animal wellness.

Crucially, there is a strong market and regulatory push away from antibiotic growth promoters toward natural solutions that enhance animal gut health and immunity. Native Microbials' entire portfolio is aligned with this shift. As consumers and regulators demand greater transparency and sustainability in the food supply chain, technologies that improve animal health and productivity without synthetic additives are gaining significant traction.

While the market includes formidable competitors like Chr. Hansen, Cargill, and ADM, Native Microbials' distinct “animal-native” platform provides a powerful differentiator. The challenge—and Benater's primary mandate—will be to effectively communicate this scientific advantage and build the commercial infrastructure needed to capture significant market share. With Seely's foundational vision retained at the board level and Benater’s commercial expertise now at the helm, Native Microbials is strategically positioned to capitalize on these powerful market tailwinds and solidify its role as a key innovator in the future of animal health.