Dragons' Den for biotech

What themes are you interested in? 

We have five thematic clusters: Industrial Biotechnology & Production, Agrifood Biotechnology, ATMPs [advanced therapy medicinal products] and Biopharmaceuticals, Diagnostics and Services, and Vaccines and Small Molecules. TU Delft mainly excels in the first cluster, which is one of the reasons why the manager of the industrial biotech cluster, Cornelis Mijnders, is also based in Delft. The entire innovation ecosystem in Delft - including Planet.bio, Biotech Campus Delft and DSM - has also been linked to Biotech Booster." 

So you’re more than just an investor? 

“Our programme marks the first time that all the different parts of the Dutch biotech sector have joined forces. And that is just fantastic! While industry and academia were never entirely separate worlds, Biotech Booster brings the two together at a very early stage. The programme is intended to be and remain a learning system but we must also stimulate entrepreneurship in academia. If you ask me, every researcher has a duty to consider whether their findings can make an impact outside academia." 

But has there been a return on investment? 

“Absolutely. We lose our money when a project fails. But if a team advances to the proof of concept phase and decides to bring in other investors, we’ll want to recoup some of our investment because we gave them the push that enabled them to take that step. The same applies to projects leading to an exit. Over time, Biotech Booster will need to be funded with the programme’s own proceeds, which we can then use to support subsequent projects. This would enable us to continue under our own steam when the grant from the Growth Fund ends after 2031."  

What biotech breakthroughs do you expect in the coming years? What radical innovations will we see? 

“It’s too early to tell, but there are a few clear trends. A lot is happening around ATMPs, drugs for cell therapy, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Many steps can also be taken in the field of production processes involving fermentation to produce more efficiently with less waste. Circularity is an important issue in all areas." 

The National Growth Fund has been discontinued and the new government has announced plans to cut higher education spending. How does this affect innovation? 

“You have to realise that cutting back on scientific research will lead to the gradual depletion of the valorisation pipeline, resulting in fewer new products and less new knowledge. Our future prosperity will inevitably be affected, which was exactly why the National Growth Fund was set up in the first place - so it could contribute to the country’s long-term earning capacity. Hacking at the roots affects the entire tree.”