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TimeAlchemyConsulting

  • Engineering Nature's Logic Into Practical Systems

    We develop waste-to-value solutions by studying how natural systems already work — then building products and processes that restore balance instead of just extracting it.

Where Engineering Meets Ecology

Time Alchemy Consulting bridges chemical engineering, mycology, and regenerative design to solve real problems with natural systems.

Based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we work at the intersection of three questions:

  1. ​How does nature already solve this problem?
  2. What's the mechanism behind it?
  3. How do we engineer that into something practical, scalable, and profitable?
We don't invent new processes. We translate what's already working in soil, fungi, insects, and microbes into systems that work for farms, industries, and households. 
The result: solutions that are scientifically grounded, economically viable, and regenerative by design.

Proof of Concept: BioLock Active

BioLock Active is our first commercial system — a contained dog waste management solution that reduces odour and limits fly activity using mealworm frass as the active material.

It launched in April 2026 after two years of observation, testing, and regulatory navigation — all starting from a simple problem on our own homestead.

It exists because we don't just study systems. We build them, test them, and bring them to market.

Most consultancies deliver reports and recommendations. 
​We deliver products.

The Soil Is the Original Factory

Everything we call innovation once began in nature.

The soil is the original factory.
The microbes are the engineers.
The enzymes are the tools.

This isn't poetry — it's process engineering.
Soil systems self-optimise. They recycle waste into fertility. They suppress pathogens through competitive microbial activity. They regulate moisture, pH, and nutrient availability without external inputs.
Our job is to observe those mechanisms, reverse-engineer them, and design human systems that work with natural intelligence instead of overriding it.
That's what we mean by Engineering Nature's Logic.
And it's what drives everything we build.

Our Services

Waste-to-Value Consulting

Feasibility studies and system design for converting biomass and waste streams into commercially viable products. We model costs, revenues, and scalability before you invest.

Regenerative System Engineering

Circular economy design that creates value while restoring ecological function. We balance biology with economics so systems sustain themselves.

Bio-Catalytic Process Design

Enzyme-based and microbial process engineering for industrial applications — from waste treatment to product development.

Techno-Economic Assessment & Modelling

Decision-support tools built on rigorous data: capital costs, operating expenses, sensitivity analysis, scenario planning. We turn feasibility questions into clear go/no-go answers

Mycoremediation & Soil Restoration

Fungal-based systems for contaminated land recovery and soil health restoration. We design protocols that work in South African conditions with locally available inputs.

Our Team

Prelene Naidoo | Founder & Director
MSc Chemical Engineering 

Chemical engineer specialising in techno-economic assessment, biorefinery systems, and regenerative process design. Developer of S-BEAT, a TEA modelling tool adopted by the South African sugar industry. Background spans energy efficiency, circular economy modelling, and waste-to-value feasibility analysis.

Lionel Jollivet | Co-Founder & Experimental Mycologist

Independent mycologist with years of hands-on experience in fungal cultivation, microbial ecology, and observational science. Lionel's practical expertise in how natural systems self-regulate forms the biological foundation of our engineering approach.

Together: We combine rigorous modelling with real-world observation. One of us builds the digital twin. The other watches how nature unfolds. Both perspectives are required to build systems that actually work.

The Platform Is Growing

BioLock Active is the first product in a waste-to-value platform built on one core material: mealworm frass.

Coming soon:

Poultry bedding systems

Compost accelerator products

Soil amendment formulations

Each product teaches people something new about this material — and each one moves us closer to the bigger vision: regenerative systems that turn waste into wealth while restoring soil health.

Follow the journey on our Research & Articles page, where we document what we're learning as we build.


Partner with us

We work with

Farms & Agricultural Operations

Exploring waste-to-value opportunities, soil restoration projects, or regenerative system design

Researchers & Institutions

Collaborating on mycoremediation, insect farming byproducts, or regenerative agriculture studies

Industries & Manufacturers

Developing bio-based processes, waste treatment solutions, or circular economy models

Retailers & Distributors

Interested in stocking waste-to-value products that solve real problems

If you're building systems that restore rather than extract, let's talk.