AgaveTex

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

Website Link: Work-In-Progress

Industry: Textiles and Industrial Applications

MBA Founding Student Name(s): Ander de Olloqui

Brief Description of Solution: AgaveTex converts agave leaf waste from tequila production into industrial-grade fibers and yarns. For tequila producers, we handle organic residue at scale, reducing labor and time devoted to organic waste disposal while lowering environmental impact and compliance risk. For textile manufacturers, we provide a consistent plant-based fiber and yarn that can replace or blend with cotton and synthetics in durable applications, offering a cost-effective and regionally strategic option with a traceable supply chain.

Funding Dollars: Not Available

What led you to launch this venture? I launched AgaveTex from a fascination with Mexico’s history and the henequen era in Yucatan, when a native fiber powered jobs, exports, and innovation. The industry’s boom years ran roughly from 1880 to 1915, and its fibers were prized for demanding uses such as rope for mooring ships, binder twine for harvesters, and cloth for sacks. This legacy, along with inspiration from nature and the richness of Mexico’s resources, guides our work transforming agave waste from tequila production into fibers and yarns for technical and durable textiles.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with the venture? Our biggest accomplishment has been securing a collaboration with one of the world’s largest alcohol and spirits holding companies, which owns Mexico’s highest-volume-selling tequila brands, to transform their organic byproducts into textile-grade material. Together, we completed field trials with their agricultural team, standardized safe handling and pre-processing, and produced the first pilot lots of clean, dry agave fiber for mill testing. We established a traceable collection and logistics workflow that reduces disposal time and labor at the source, while supporting their environmental compliance objectives. On the demand side, regional textile partners have agreed to evaluate AgaveTex blends in durable fabrics, rugs, and technical canvas, with initial tests indicating target spinnability and strength.

What has been the most significant challenge you’ve faced in creating your company and how did you solve it? The most significant challenge has been the century-long gap in Mexico’s natural fiber industry after the henequen boom, which made it difficult to find equipment manufacturers that can process agave. We solved this by building an international collaboration and reverse engineering process steps from sisal, abaca, and other plant fibers. By retooling and tuning existing machinery to the characteristics of agave leaves, we demonstrated a feasible, repeatable process that delivers stable fiber length, cleanliness, and strength for mill evaluation and the next stage of scale-up.

How has your MBA program helped you further this startup venture? The MBA program has been a force multiplier for AgaveTex. Faculty and staff provided targeted guidance, and the Wond’ry and the Center for Entrepreneurship opened doors to mentors. Most importantly, students across the school volunteered time and expertise in engineering, finance, and operations. Their technical capacities and input have been invaluable to our progress, and I plan to keep including them as we move forward.

Which MBA class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? Launching the Venture with Professor Stacie Pawlicki was the most valuable class for AgaveTex. It provided my business with structure and a clear goal, transforming me from a finished goods idea to a focused materials platform. The biggest lesson was to practice disciplined customer discovery, set measurable milestones, and run tight feedback loops. Equally important, the course emphasized how to build and lead a team. Those lessons still guide me a year after our team placed second overall in the course pitch competition.

What professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? The right guidance arrived exactly when I needed it. Professor Stacie Pawlicki, through Launching the Venture, gave AgaveTex structure and focus. Professor Mario Avila offered real-world insight into the daily realities of being a business owner. At the Wond’ry, Stryker Warren opened doors with connections that have already produced results. Baxter Webb at the Center for Entrepreneurship coordinated resources and introduced energetic alumni I can lean on beyond school. Lastly, Professor Mumin Kurtulus has always been willing to lend a hand and offer thoughtful guidance whenever needed.

How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success? Growing up in Mexico taught me that strong ventures start with relationships before intellectual property or financial engineering. Mexico is a rare combination of industrial powerhouse and old world values. In Jalisco, multi-generational agave producers and field teams welcomed us because of personal trust and shared responsibility. That trust opened access to fields, logistics, and practical knowledge, allowing AgaveTex to validate processes and move forward with real partnerships that honor tradition while building modern industry.

What is your long-term goal with your startup? I want to show what is possible when industry takes inspiration from nature. AgaveTex will set the benchmark not only for fibers and textiles, but for a new way of working with agave, a national icon. We aim to anchor a circular supply chain in Mexico, expand into applications beyond textiles, create skilled jobs, and set a standard for low-impact materials. Ultimately, I want AgaveTex to grow beyond my imagination in the hands of future generations, and to show anyone, regardless of education level, that building a business of any size is a noble path.

Looking back, what is the biggest lesson you wish you’d known before launching and scaling your venture? Real progress happens outside. For AgaveTex, that is literal. Our breakthroughs came from stepping into fields and factories, not from polishing pitches or chasing software. We are a commodities company first, working closely with people who grow, cut, haul, and operate machines. The internet helps, but meaning comes from showing up, traveling the distances, and doing the work.

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