Biotech Campus Delft and YES!Delft partner up to support promising European biotech startups Post

Go back February 11, 2019

Biotech Campus Delft together with its main stakeholder Royal DSM and YES!Delft have partnered up to support biotechnology startups through a special Biotech Validation Lab. As of today, (industrial) biotech startups can apply to join the program to validate their business plan and to define a clear strategy to success. Both Biotech Campus Delft and YES!Delft support promising biotech startups to accelerate innovations and boost the transition towards a sustainable, bio-based economy.

The validation program is open to European startups with innovative technologies and disruptive solutions in (industrial) biotechnology. Technology fields in the scope of the program are genetic and metabolic engineering, fermentation and downstream processing. The scope of application includes food, fuel, bio-based molecules, and bio-materials. The 10 best teams will be selected and invited to join the Validation Lab. Each team will be matched with relevant mentor(s) from biotech-related business and/or technical experts, all leading professionals in their field. During 12 sessions the startups will be trained on opportunity framing, customer validation, team building, pitching and value proposition design. Biotech Campus Delft offers this program free of charge to the selected startups. On the final day of the Validation Lab, the teams pitch their business plan for a jury. There will be an additional prize for the best startup: a voucher providing office space and a lab at Biotech Campus Delft.

Calls for entry start February 11^th, and application is easy through the Biotech Validation Lab page. The deadline for completed entries is April 16^th. The Biotech Validation Lab takes place from May until July in Delft, the Netherlands. The startups will present their pitches after the 10-week learning journey in the Validation Lan on the final day on July 31st, 2019.

Cindy Gerhardt, Business Director Biotech Campus Delft: “We are very excited about this partnership with YES!Delft. The next level biotechnology offers the opportunity to build our bio-renewable future. However, operating a startup in this field can represent a challenge due to the capital investments, scale up hurdles and long development times related to it. The Biotech Campus Delft, its main stakeholder Royal DSM and YES!Delft understand these challenges and are determined to support the startups in this field to define a clear strategy to success.”

“YES!Delft is very pleased to partner with Biotech Campus Delft”, says Evert Jaap (EJ) Lugt, managing director of YES!Delft. “Bundling our strengths, their industrial expertise with our unique incubator ecosystem, we can make a real impact in biotech innovation. The Biotech Validation Lab will be an amazing opportunity for startups with top-notch ideas to accelerate and be part of the transition to a sustainable bio-based future.”

About biotechnology

Biotechnology refers to the use of (parts of) living organisms as cell factories to make useful products from renewable feedstocks. Historically, humankind has used biotechnology in food production (wine, beer, bread, cheese etc.) for centuries. In the past century, its application has been industrialized and expanded to pharma, agriculture, and production of bio-molecules. Today, the next level biotechnology represents a bigger opportunity than ever to build our bio-renewable future. It allows us to move away from non-renewable fossil sources and therefore diminish greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time offering an opportunity to address future challenges related to food, health & energy.

About Biotech Campus Delft

Biotech Campus Delft is developed by founding father Royal DSM to accelerate biotech innovations. Its open innovation campus offers a biotech ecosystem in which cooperation and knowledge transfer between companies and knowledge institutes is encouraged. Located on DSM’s site in Delft, over 1200 people work on developing, scaling up and commercializing bio-based innovations. Besides DSM and pilot factory BPF, Biotech Campus Delft also houses startups, SME’s and established companies.

About YES!Delft: Building Tomorrow’s Leading Firms

At YES!Delft we believe in the impact of tech companies, because of their crucial contribution to the progress of our economy and society. We foster technological startups to become leading in their industries and promote and stimulate entrepreneurship to accelerate solutions to modern-day challenges. At YES!Delft we unite the forces of startups, coaches, investors, and innovative corporations to fuel entrepreneurial success. We offer guidance and support in building and growing a company and encourage students, scientists, and professionals on their path of entrepreneurship.
www.yesdelft.com

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Press release in Dutch

Contact

For more information:

Biotech Validation Lab:

https://www.yesdelft.com/all-programs/validation-lab-biotech/

https://www.yesdelft.com/all-focus-areas-biotech/

Biotech Campus Delft

Communication Manager

Sjoukje Lautenbach

+31 06 213 52 5569

Sjoukje.Lautenbach@dsm.com