Between Two Classes: Mathieu Flamini

“For me, if a challenge seems crazy, that’s usually a good sign it’s worth pursuing.”

Our next Between Two Classes guest might be familiar to football fans, but it’s his second act that’s captivating a broader audience. Mathieu Flamini played nearly two decades of professional football, suiting up for iconic clubs like AC Milan and Arsenal. But even at the height of his career, Flamini was already planning for what came next. In 2013, he co-founded GFBiochemicals, a company that now holds nearly 200 patents and leads the global market in the large-scale production of levulinic acid. We sat down with Mathieu to talk about how football shaped his resilience, why entrepreneurship can be a lonely road, and how passion continues to drive everything he does.

You’ve described your journey as a paradox. You went from hating chemistry in high school to now running a chemicals company. Was there a personal shift that helped you make that change? 

Flamini: I believe life is full of paradoxes, and I’m living proof that anything is possible. At school, there were two subjects I couldn’t stand: English and chemistry. Ironically, I now speak English 90% of the time and run a biochemicals company.

You developed this passion for sustainability. Is it that passion that allows you to get past your dislike of chemistry to the point where you’re now running a biochemicals company?

Flamini: I grew up by the sea, and my connection to nature came largely from my father, who was a passionate diver. From an early age, I became very aware of the damage humankind is doing to the planet. That connection to the ocean and the environment sparked a deep motivation to help solve the environmental crisis, which I believe is the greatest challenge we face today. At the beginning, I didn’t know exactly where to start. But after meeting a team of scientists, we began this journey 12 years ago. We focused on bringing the levulinic acid molecule platform into everyday products through our proprietary technology. 

Today, we hold more than 200 patents and are commercializing ingredients that replace harmful fossil-based components still found in products we use daily. This passion for sustainability is what kept me going, even through over a decade of research and development before we could bring our innovations to market. As an entrepreneur, you’re given dozens of reasons every day to give up. But like in football, my passion is what has kept me going.

I imagine that for a lot of athletes, once they retire, it can be very hard to figure out what’s next. But you’ve found a way to funnel your passion into something that’s so helpful for the world. How do you think about being able to funnel that same drive into something totally new? 

Flamini: I’ve been an athlete at heart since I was five years old. Football has always been more than a sport; it was a lifestyle that required complete dedication. At the highest level, you have to give 200%. Athletes are conditioned to win, to handle pressure, to push through pain. But the truth is, an athlete “dies” twice: once at the end of their career and again at the end of their life. So the real challenge is how to take everything you’ve learned and apply it to a new path. 

Most athletes stay in sports. A few of us dare to step out of that comfort zone to try and succeed in a completely different world. That was my case. 

At 36, the age when most people are just starting to find their footing in the business world, I had to completely reinvent myself — emotionally, mentally, and personally — knowing I would never again do what I had trained for all my life. 

What many don’t realize is that there are a lot of similarities between athletes and entrepreneurs or CEOs: performing under pressure, working hard, being part of a team, leading others. These are the same building blocks for success in both worlds. 

So after 20 years of football, I decided to channel that mindset into entrepreneurship. I used to challenge myself physically; now I do it intellectually. And it’s just as demanding.

In those early days, what were your hopes and aspirations for the company? What did you want it to turn into?

Flamini: To be honest, I didn’t have a chemistry background. I had studied law for a year before dropping out because I was already playing professionally with Olympique de Marseille, one of the biggest clubs in France. 

From the very beginning, the mission was clear: to create real solutions for climate change. That’s why I co-founded GFBiochemicals. Today, we’re a global innovator producing high performance alternatives to petrochemical ingredients. After over a decade of research and nearly 200 patents, we’ve unlocked the potential of the levulinic acid platform to create versatile, sustainable ingredients. With our breakthrough technology, RE:CHEMISTRY, we’re helping businesses build safer everyday products.

In 2010, you’re very much at the height of your career, and you launch GFBiochemicals. How crazy did people think you were? 

Flamini: I remember people thinking I wasn’t serious when, as a kid, I said I wanted to be a professional footballer. There’s a stat that says only one in 1.5 million kids makes it to that level. The odds were slim, but I found motivation in proving people wrong. For me, if a challenge seems crazy, that’s usually a good sign it’s worth pursuing. 

Eventually, after years of sacrifice, that dream became a reality - I played nearly 20 years professionally for some of the world’s top clubs. But when I said I wanted to build a biochemicals company without a background in chemistry while still playing football, those same people called me crazy. And yet, after over a decade of hard work, we’ve achieved major milestones. Our products are now commercialized in over 193 countries. 

So yes, I’m proof that you should believe in your dreams. If I can do it, anyone can.

Being an entrepreneur is not easy. What are some of those entrepreneurial challenges that get that adrenaline rush for you? 

Flamini: There’s a quote from the Dalai Lama that I love: “A man needs something to do and someone to love.” For me, the idea of retiring and living a quiet, comfortable life without challenges or adrenaline just doesn’t sit right. 

Being an entrepreneur is difficult. It’s a long and often lonely road. But I’ve always enjoyed pushing myself beyond my limits. Living with purpose and having a meaningful reason to wake up each day is what makes the journey worthwhile. Founding this company, being part of a winning team, tackling issues like chemical pollution, having to innovate constantly — these are the parts of the entrepreneurial adventure that excite me. 

As we develop to the point where we may not need to work to the same extent we did in the past, there’s discussions around universal basic income. I imagine that, in your mind, that wouldn’t work. Is it crucial to who we are as a species that we need to have purpose, drive and passion?

Flamini: I strongly believe in community and the idea that each of us should contribute in a way that strengthens the whole. It’s important for individuals to find purpose through their efforts and commitments. That’s what gives life meaning. 

Looking back on my football career, I’m so grateful for the love I received and the opportunity to play alongside incredible human beings. I recently completed a 10-day Public Policy Leadership Program at Harvard Kennedy School, and it was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I met people tackling major global issues — poverty, racism, inequality — all trying to make a real difference. So no, I can’t imagine a life without purpose or contribution. 

It sounds like you’re someone who will always be chasing the next challenge. 

Flamini: Definitely. I have too much energy. My team will tell you — I can’t sit still for more than 30 minutes! That’s how I live: moving from one challenge to the next, always following my passion and trying to contribute to something meaningful. And I try to do it all with joy. We often forget to have fun and smile along the way. 

Every morning, I ask myself one question: “Do I still love what I do?” As long as the answer is yes, I keep going. The day it’s not — I’ll know it’s time to find a new challenge and reinvent myself again.

Peter Sykes (MBA ‘26) is originally from Calgary, Canada. He graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in economics. Prior to HBS, Peter worked in strategic ops at Reservoir Media, an independent music company in New York, and for Morgan Stanley, where he held positions in capital markets and at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.