Catalina Fernández de Ana Portela, founder and CEO of Hifas da Terra, has spent more than 25 years championing a biotechnology approach founded on scientific rigour, long-term vision and a commitment to people. In an interview with Forbes España, the biologist and mycologist explains the principles that have guided the company's growth. Here is a summary.
A company born from personal experience
The origins of Hifas da Terra are linked to a personal experience that led Catalina to conceive the company not simply as a business, but as a research project with a clear purpose. Since its foundation in 1998, the company has built its work around listening, empathy and knowledge – respecting the pace of scientific research and keeping a long-term perspective.
A bridge between tradition and science
When Hifas da Terra began, concepts such as biotechnology were still relatively unfamiliar, while mushrooms already had a long tradition of use around the world. The company's contribution has been to study this knowledge with modern scientific methods, from strain selection and organic cultivation to extraction and analysis.
Research before immediate profit
One of the company's defining features is its commitment to research: Hifas da Terra reinvests more than 60% of its profits in R&D. For Catalina, this is not a strategy to stand out from competitors, but a responsibility towards science and towards the people who trust its products. She acknowledges that the greatest resistance initially came from the business world, where a model that did not prioritise immediate profitability was hard to understand.
A global project with Galician roots
Although the company collaborates with universities and research centres in Europe, Asia and the United States, Galicia remains at the heart of its identity: a connection with nature, respect for natural cycles, and values such as patience, rigour and tenacity.
Leading with integrity
As a woman at the helm of a science-led company, Catalina has had to overcome barriers in traditionally male-dominated environments, building her own leadership model based on knowledge, integrity and consistency. This path has earned her a place among Spain's 100 Most Influential Women 2025 according to Forbes.