Meet Our Founders

Jurian Wijnheijmer

🧪 A Scientist at Heart

My journey began in the world of microbiology. I spent several years immersed in academic research, studying how microorganisms respond to antibiotics and stress. I was fascinated by life at the microscopic level—the resilience, adaptability, and strange elegance of microbes.

But something was missing.

While I loved the science, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in a lab. I wanted to create something tangible. Something alive. Something people could eat, grow, and experience. And I wanted to do it in a way that brought people closer to nature, even in the middle of the city.

🍄 Enter the Mushroom

That’s when I discovered mushrooms—not just as food or medicine, but as an intersection of biology, sustainability, design, and community. Fungi are some of the most powerful and underappreciated organisms on Earth. They recycle nutrients, support ecosystems, and even hold the keys to future medicines and materials.

The turning point came during my work as a microbiologist, when I was screening fungi for new antibiotic compounds. What started as a structured search for antibacterial activity quickly spiraled into something more: I began uncovering an astonishing range of bioactive compounds hidden within fungi—molecules with potential not just as antibiotics, but as neuroactive agents, immunomodulators, metabolic regulators, and more.

The deeper I went, the more fascinated I became. I fell headfirst into the rabbit hole of fungal chemistry, captivated by their evolutionary ingenuity and biochemical diversity. It was like discovering a hidden world—one teeming with solutions to problems in medicine, agriculture, nutrition, and sustainability.

Lion’s Mane, in particular, stood out to me. Brain-like in shape and function. Mysterious. Functional. Delicious. It was the perfect flagship species—one that connected everything I cared about: science, health, food, and nature.

🧱 Building MOGU's Mushroom Lab

With a modest investment and a lot of experimentation, I set up the first version of MOGU’s Mushroom Lab in the cellar of a restaurant in Amsterdam. I partnered with the restaurant owner to create a space where fungi could flourish—and where local chefs and curious customers could experience fresh, gourmet mushrooms straight from the source.

Our space may be small, but it’s mighty: a clean, climate-controlled cellar where we grow Lion’s Mane, run workshops, do research, and host mushroom lovers from around the city.