About Us

FOREST FLOOR™ - FOREST FLOOR LLC

Welcome to the future. At least our future now wraps up the past in a strange way. In 1997 Daniel and Matthew created their first mushroom grow device. Twenty-seven years later, plus 50 years combined professional design and product development experience we find ourselves solving the same problems we solved in the past. What this means for you? We have solved all of the biggest problems facing every experience level of mushrooms growing.

This machine represents a new class of appliances that have yet to be invented or integrated into the fabric of our existence. We are writing new rules for household furniture and symbiotic, environmental appliances. The Model 101 represents FOREST FLOOR™'s Flagship Model 1-tray within 1-device/unit, hence 101. "Metatron's Prismatic Hyper Cube™" is the name of the device/unit as viewed through the lens of an artist. 

Our Founders

Matthew Flansburg, Co-Founder, Principal, & Product Wizard-in-Chief (CEO)

Born in 1974 at Swedish Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, I, Matthew Flansburg, have always been driven by a blend of creativity and analytical thinking. Influenced by my left-brained father and literary mother, I cultivated my talents in both art and mathematics from a young age. My upbringing in Littleton, Colorado, was marked by a passion for science, sparked further by a life-changing UFO sighting in 1985. This event ignited my curiosity, prompting my father to encourage me to pursue science, shaping my future endeavors.

In 1987, my family relocated to Chandler, Arizona, where I excelled academically and became a prominent figure in student leadership. My involvement in student council and the wrestling team, despite my small stature, instilled resilience and determination in me. I graduated at the top of my class and attended Arizona State University on multiple academic scholarships, initially focusing on Construction and Engineering. However, my fascination with physics shifted my academic trajectory, leading to my eventual degree in Physics with minors in Mathematics, Astronomy, and Philosophy.

After the tragic loss of my father in 1997, I took a hiatus from college to manage his estate. During this challenging time, my friend Daniel and I built our first mushroom-growing machine, which laid the groundwork for my entrepreneurial journey. Following my re-engagement with studies, I turned down an opportunity with the U.S. Navy to pursue my passion for engineering and product development, ultimately joining Netscape in Mountain View, California.

Over the past three decades, I have developed deep expertise in software and product development, collaborating with Daniel on various ventures, including large-scale projects for companies like AOL and Canon. My professional journey has equipped me with extensive experience across quality assurance, product management, technical writing, UI/UX design, web application development, and vector graphic art. Together, we have launched seven businesses since 1999.

Today, as the Co-Founder and CEO of FOREST FLOOR, I lead the engineering and design efforts for the Model 101, the world's first fully-automated mushroom growing appliance. This innovative product addresses the unique challenges faced by both novice and expert mushroom cultivators, focusing on mono-tub and mono-culture growing. My vision for FOREST FLOOR is to empower micro-farms and households by decentralizing mushroom production for the medicinal, gourmet, and personal markets. The Model 101 facilitates consistent and reliable mushroom cultivation with minimal human intervention, making it an essential tool for anyone looking to grow mushrooms efficiently.

I am committed to establishing an Advisory Board of leading mycologists across North America to ensure our designs are informed by the latest advancements in mycology. I view the Model 101 not only as a cutting-edge engineering feat but also as a work of art, reflecting my background in fine arts and design. Our mission is to optimize the growing environment for each mushroom species, making high-quality mushrooms easily accessible to all.

In addition to my role at FOREST FLOOR, I host the Mycelial Network Podcast, engaging with thought leaders and enthusiasts in the mycology community. This platform allows us to explore and share insights about fungi and mushrooms, further connecting our mission with a broader audience.

It is my personal duty to ensure that our products not only meet but exceed the expectations set during the prototyping phase. I am dedicated to delivering the highest quality mushroom-growing solutions, committed to both innovation and craftsmanship.

Daniel Billotte, Co-Founder & CTO

Born in 1975 in Mesa, Arizona, Daniel was raised in a family that combined the analytical and the artistic—his father, an engineer, and his mother, an artist and entrepreneur, fostered both sides of his personality. From an early age, Daniel’s curiosity knew no bounds. He was the kid who took everything apart just to see how it worked, and he loved every minute of it. He had an innate drive to create, innovate, and explore the boundaries of what was possible.

Despite being brought up in a Christian household, by third grade, Daniel began to feel the cracks in the stories he was told. How could only one religion be right when there were so many different beliefs in the world? His young mind questioned the idea that those without access to "the word" were doomed to eternal damnation. This early skepticism set Daniel on a lifelong quest for spiritual understanding, but in places far removed from organized religion. He became fascinated with the notion that the human mind was capable of far more than what society allowed it to express.

This hunger for deeper knowledge led Daniel to psychedelics in his teenage years. Early experiences with LSD, mescaline, and mushrooms opened his eyes to the boundless possibilities of consciousness. He was hooked—not just on the substances, but on the profound sense of interconnectedness and wonder they provided. Unfortunately, these same circles that introduced him to psychedelics also introduced him to alcohol, which would become a darker and far more insidious influence on his life.

While excelling academically in math and science, Daniel’s true passion was entrepreneurship. From lawn care and handyman services to running his own ‘zine in junior high, Daniel’s entrepreneurial spirit was alive and thriving. But it wasn’t until college that he met the person who would become his lifelong friend and business partner, Matt Flansburg. The two bonded over everything from physics to art to their shared love of pushing boundaries. But their friendship was cemented in 1997, after the sudden death of Matt’s father, Roger. This pivotal moment shifted their relationship from bar buddies to something deeper. In their grief, they found solace in their shared pursuit of knowledge—and in their first joint project, a homemade mushroom-growing box. This was the seed that would eventually blossom into Forest Floor, though neither could have predicted the long journey ahead.

In 1998, Daniel dropped out of college to take a job as a software engineer in Silicon Valley during the Web 1.0 boom. While his career initially soared, the dark pull of alcohol was always there, quietly sabotaging his success. Despite his rapid rise in the tech world, Daniel found himself more and more disconnected from the things that once brought him joy—music, psychedelics, and even his own creativity. By the time he reached his thirties, what had once been a life full of promise and excitement had become a long, slow struggle to stay afloat.

Yet Daniel’s entrepreneurial drive never faded, even in the darkest of times. Over the years, he and Matt embarked on countless projects—some successful, most not—but each one was a step forward, a lesson learned, and another brick in the road that would eventually lead to Forest Floor.

The real turning point in Daniel’s journey came in 2020, triggered by a series of intense DMT experiences. These encounters forced him to confront the hard truth that alcohol had been the common thread behind all of his struggles. But it wasn’t an easy road. Despite attempts to clean up for the sake of his two young daughters, Daniel found himself edging closer to existential nihilism. That’s when he realized he had to make a choice: either change his life or lose everything. With the help of his wife and a close friend, he checked into a detox program. After seven days, he emerged as Daniel 2.0—sober, clear-headed, and ready to rebuild his life.

What followed was a period of rapid transformation. With newfound sobriety came a resurgence of creativity, drive, and clarity. Reconnecting with Matt, who had also left alcohol behind, the two reignited their shared passion for mushrooms. Armed with Daniel’s skills in software and electrical engineering and Matt’s creative vision, they set out to create an automated mushroom-growing box like no other.

Forest Floor was born—a company built on decades of friendship, failures, and the ultimate triumph of two souls who refused to give up on their dream. Today, Daniel and Matt are on a mission to make the transformative power of psychedelics accessible to the masses, helping others unlock the same sense of wonder and healing that brought them back to life.