Our content is carefully curated and acts as a catalyst for subsequent commercial meetings that take place outside of the theatre. Our speakers have been hand-picked in order to provide ‘real life’ insights and solutions to the most common challenges facing the global industrial biomanufacturing community.
08:00-09:00
Networking coffee & registration
09:00-09:10
Opening Remarks
Paul MacDonald, Co-Founder & MD, World Bio Markets
09:10-09:35
Opening keynote address
Lightspray: The Power of Automation for Sustainable High Performance
Discover LightSprayTM: a revolutionary footwear upper technology redefining performance and sustainability. This session explores the innovative creation process behind, key performance advantages, and transformative impact on product design. Learn how LightsprayTM not only enhances athletic functionality but also delivers significant environmental benefits, setting a new standard in sportswear innovation.
Lucie Martinol, Textile Innovation Senior Lead, On
09:35-10:00
Panel discussion
Raising Capital in Uncertain Times - The World is a Funny Old Place!
Three experienced and influential investors discuss the current investment landscape for pre and commercial bio developers and producers and where to source capital. They will provide an insight into their world as they seek new investment opportunities, manage delayed returns from existing tech, navigate high interest rates, political uncertainty and trying to do the right thing. A key session for anyone trying to raise capital.
Hosted By Rob van der Meij , Managing Partner, Capricorn Partners
Elisabeth Storm de Grave, Investment Principal, Invest-NL
Guillaume Baxter, Partner, Sofinnova Partners
Michela Puddu, Senior Investment Manager – Sustainable Materials & Circularity, Emerald Technology Ventures
10:00-10:10
SmartRoute™ - Scaling Microbial Innovation from Lab to Market
Acies Bio’s proprietary SmartRoute™ platform provides an integrated solution for accelerating microbial product development and commercialization. By aligning advanced strain engineering, scalable bioprocess development, and regulatory foresight, SmartRoute™ enables faster, de-risked transitions from lab-scale innovation to market-ready products. This talk highlights how the platform supports partners across food, agriculture, and industrial biotech in reducing time-to-market, increasing process robustness, and unlocking new business value.
Martin Kavšček, Head of Business Development, Acies Bio
10:15-10:45
Panel discussion
Manufacturing Partnerships and its Ability to Accelerate the Adoption of Bio-Solutions
Here we explore the, often overlooked and undiscussed, role of contract manufacturing in the industrial scale adoption of Biotech solutions. A panel of industrial partners, 3PM’s and OEM’s shed light on how they help bio developers and producers to go from pilot to industrialisation, develop their tech using existing infrastructure, access new markets, produce at speed and scale and benefit from their credibility within the wider manufacturing ecosystem. Also discussed will be the importance of integrating biomanufacturing into their existing business models in order to meet growing demand, regulatory requirements, enhance their competitiveness and future proof their business.
Hosted By Catherine Roggero-Lovisi, Board Member, World Collective
Jan Weernink, Chief Commercial Officer, GF Biochemicals
Kimberly Wei, Sustainability Co-ordinator, Junteng Group
Seda Cantekin, Market Segment Leader, TotalEnergies Corbion
10:45-11:30
Networking coffee
11:30-12:00
Panel discussion
Detoxification AND Defossilization – The Pathway to Sustainability
As industries race to reduce carbon emissions, the chemical sector explores alternative feedstocks, energy sources, and processes to de-fossilize supply chains. With net-zero deadlines looming, concerns arise about advancing biobased alternatives too quickly without considering trade-offs. Biomanufactured solutions must reduce toxicity and minimize impacts on consumers, communities, workers, and the environment. Panelists will discuss prioritizing both safety and sustainability in innovation and policy for sustainable chemistry.
Hosted By Peter Nieuwenhuizen, Chair, Change Chemistry BOD, Change Chemistry
Ivana Krkljuš, Corporate Strategy for Green Transformation, BASF
Laura Kherbeck, Global Product Stewardship Director – Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, Dow
Shaun Russell, Strategy Manager for Sustainability and Social Business Innovation, Merck KGaA
12:00-12:10
Turning Carbon Dioxide into Food Without Fertile Land
Arborea uses its innovative patented Biosolar Leaf™ technology to capture and convert carbon dioxide from any industry into net-zero food, feed, cosmetic, agro, and pharma ingredients. It uses sunlight to grow microalgae-based biomass without requiring fertile land and thus zero deforestation and loss of biodiversity. This contained process is easily scalable, without requiring expensive fermentation tanks, photobioreactors or pressurised gases. Example products include NOvo Protein™, a neutral tasting, water-soluble, multi-functional ingredient suitable for any food product, highly stable natural Pure Blue™ colouring, and Ultra Pure Spirulina™ bioactive nutrient concentrates.
Kalyan Chatakondu, Global Commercial Director, Arborea
12:10-12:20
From Development to Soil: Fast-Tracking Biodegradability with High-Throughput Testing for a Safer, Low-Impact Future
Here we explore the full cycle of product circularity – from development to soil – by leveraging high-throughput testing for biodegradability and microplastics analysis. These advancements enable faster product validation, reduced environmental impact, and safer, truly compostable materials reaching the market at unprecedented speed.
Gaëlle Cavalié, Technical Sales Engineer, Normec OWS
12:20-12:45
Panel discussion
From Green Premium to Market Mainstream: Scaling Bio-Circularity Through Smart Pricing & Demand Activation
How do we turn sustainability from a cost driver into a competitive advantage? While bio-based circular alternatives still often carry a “green premium”, the question is no longer if customers are willing to pay more – but who, when, and how much? This session brings together a unique mix of leaders across the circular value chain – from feedstock providers to innovators and pricing strategy experts – to explore what truly drives willingness to pay and how to unlock that value to scale sustainable product portfolios.
Hosted By Arne Hüttenbrink, Manager – Sustainability Strategy & Transformation, Deloitte
Mat Wielopolski, Manager Sustainability & Climate, Deloitte
Isabel Alvarez-Martos, CEO & Co-Founder, Cellugy
Annika Huomo, Business Development Manager – Renewable & Biobased Polyolefins – Base Chemicals, Borealis
Eléonore Möller, Global Sustainability Program Manager, Specialty Polyamides & Oleris, Arkema
12:45-14:00
Networking lunch
14:00-14:30
PANEL DISCUSSION
AI and Machine Learning - The Silver Bullet we Must Not Dodge
AI and machine learning has been part of the industrial biomanufacturing industry for a few years now but are we at the tipping point where widespread adoption will lead to the accelerated adoption of bio based solutions by industry. A panel of (real humans) will discuss if and how the technology is helping scientists to generate new sustainable materials quicker, cheaper and with lower failure rates, the role of machine learning in the industrial manufacturing process, how the R&D and innovation scouting community can source, compare and predict the performance of new products hitting the market and, finally, we shall discuss if AI is the silver bullet in helping the petrochemical sector to economically validate and accelerate the transition to renewables.
Hosted By Lars Börger, CEO, nova-Institute
Vince Hop, Process Engineer Consultant, Process Design Center
Jan-Harm Urbanus, Principal Consultant, TNO
Damien Perriman, CCO, eXoZymes
ChatGPT
14:30-14:40
How to Merge Performance with Sustainability using a 100% Bio-Renewable Building Block
100% bio-renewable Susterra® 1,3-propanediol enables B2B and B2C industries such as footwear, heat transfer fluids and the coatings/adhesives/inks industries to shift from petroleum based solutions to bio-renewable solutions. While Susterra® delivers a substantial reduction in carbon footprint it also provides the right functionality and performance required for a variety of applications. Examples in the before mentioned industries will be showcased.
Patrick Van Waes, Global Marketing Director, Primient Covation LLC
14:40-14:50
Bioproduct Commercialization Platform
Bringing bioproducts from the lab to the shelf presents a significant challenge. Synonym is your partner throughout the journey to bring your products to life. Match combines our proprietary directory of over 280 fermentation facilities worldwide with our specialized scale-up and commercialization expertise, reducing timelines and streamlining your path to production. Join us to explore how we can help you quickly identify your ideal CMO partners, thereby lowering production costs, enhancing product quality, and simplifying your supply chain.
David Hong, Senior Director, Business Development, Synonym
14:50-15:00
Scaling up PHA in a Challenging World
PHA’s are a great opportunity to reduce our dependency on fossil resources and reduce harmful microplastic pollution. The scaling up of this product however requires new legislation, stable financial markets and willingness to work on the environment. The current global situation is quite different. How can we make sure we still make this transition, without wasting valuable financial and human resources?
Joost Paques, Managing Director, Paques Biomaterials
15:00-16:30
Networking drinks & goodbyes