bioCircular Loop

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this final episode of the miniseries features Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Operations at Biobase Europe Pilot Plant , reflecting on what it really takes to scale bio-based innovation in Europe. After two days of panels, pitches and workshops, the big question remains simple: how do we scale successfully? Hendrik breaks it down....

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Marc Lankveld, Founder of Tasseikan , on building a biotech route to replace PET with a bio-based alternative. Tasseikan develops a fermentation process that converts sugar into FDCA, a building block for PEF, a bioplastic designed to substitute PET in packaging. Think bottles, food packaging, and applications w...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Bram Pareyt, Group Upstream R&D Director at Puratos , on what biomanufacturing actually looks like inside a global food ingredients company. Puratos is a B2B producer of ingredients for bakery, patisserie and chocolate. But behind the scenes, biotech plays a much bigger role than you might think. For Bram an...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Bart Walcarius, Head of Technology Integration at Biotalys , on what it really takes to scale protein-based crop protection  Biotalys is developing biodegradable, protein-based biocontrols as an alternative to conventional chemical pesticides. The twist? Their technology is built on unique single-chain antibodie...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Yvette Go, Investor at EIT Food , on what it really takes to finance and scale bio-based and food innovation in Europe. EIT Food, an initiative backed by the European Commission, supports agrifood innovation across the entire journey, from idea (TRL 1) to seed funding and beyond. Yvette sits right at the investm...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Martin Tangney, Founder & President of Celtic Renewables , one of Europe’s most established bio-based scale-up stories. Celtic Renewables takes biological residues from the Scottish whisky industry and turns them into high-value, low-carbon chemicals like acetone and butanol, the essential building blocks us...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Kristof Verbeeck, Business Development at ArcelorMittal Belgium , on what it actually means for heavy industry to bet on bio-manufacturing. ArcelorMittal Ghent is a 5-million-ton steel plant and the largest industrial CO₂ emitter in Belgium. Eight years ago, they decided to do something radical: build Europe’s f...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Line Kloster Pedersen, Founder & CEO of Visibuilt , and one of the boldest ideas we’ve seen on the bio-based stage this year.  Visibuilt is developing the world’s first fungal binders for road construction, replacing fossil-based bitumen and highly polluting cement with mycelium, nature’s own underground bin...

Recorded live at Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy in Brussels, this episode features Nicolo Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director of CBE JU , on Europe’s competitiveness in scaling bio-based innovation from lab to market  Ten years ago, the bioeconomy was niche. Today, it’s backed by EU strategies, public-private partnerships, and large-scale demonstration funding. Europe has successfully helped companies...

Recorded live at Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy in Brussels (24–25 November 2025), this episode features Agata Kotkowska from the European Commission on the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy and what it really means for scaling bio-based innovation in Europe.  The message is clear: Europe has the science, the infrastructure, and the know-how. What’s missing? Speed. With China, the US and India accelerating inv...

Recorded live at the Pitch Perfect Bioeconomy event in Brussels, this episode features Rob van der Meij, Partner at Capricorn Partners , on what it really takes to scale bio-based innovation. The key message? Scaling bio is not like scaling software. As an investor who has helped grow multiple tech-driven companies, Rob breaks down why process development is the most underestimated factor in bio-b...

In this episode of the BioCircular Loop podcast, host Melina Gerdts discusses the advancements in the European circular bioeconomy, focusing on cellular agriculture and lab-grown leather. She interviews Michael Newton, CEO of Qorium, a Dutch startup pioneering lab-grown leather production. They explore the differences between European and American entrepreneurship ecosystems, the innovative proces...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, host Melina Gerdts recaps the 2025 edition of the International Forum for Industrial Biotechnology (IFIB) with Mario Bonacorso, the organizer and Director of the Italian SPRING cluster. They explore the topics discussed, highlighting the importance of circular bioeconomy in addressing global challenges such as climate change, waste management, and g...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges of sustainable protein production with Yvain Chardonnens, CEO of Standing Ovation. They explore the environmental impact of traditional dairy farming  and the innovative process of producing casein through precision fermentation. The conversation highlights the founding story of Standing Ovation, the importance...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, host Melina Gerdts discusses the critical role of soil in climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and global food security with Azadeh Farajpur, Founder of BetterSoil. They explore the importance of soil health, the alarming rate of soil loss, and the impact of unsustainable agricultural practices. Azadeh shares her personal connection...

In this episode of the Biocircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts interviews Dr. Carmen Hijosa, founder of Ananas Anam, about the innovative leather-substitute Pinatex, made from pineapple waste. They discuss the environmental impact of traditional leather production, the journey of creating a sustainable alternative, and the positive social impact on local communities in the Philippines. The convers...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges biotech startups face in scaling their innovations from lab to industrial scale with Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Operations at the Bio-Base Europe Pilot Plant. They explore the high costs associated with scaling, the importance of collaboration and expertise, and the regulatory hurdles that can delay market entry...

This episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast provides an in-depth exploration of the circular bioeconomy in Europe, featuring insights from Marco Rupp, Deputy Executive Director of the Bio-Based Industry Consortium (BIC). The discussion covers the evolution of the bioeconomy over the past decade, the role of innovation and funding, and the strategic importance of bio-based industries in addressing...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the challenges of food packaging, particularly in preserving fruits and vegetables while reducing plastic waste. She interviews Arash Fayyazi, co-founder of Savage, a Swedish startup focused on innovative, plant-based packaging solutions. They explore the importance of sustainable food packaging, the technology behind Savagie...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, we discuss the challenges facing the cocoa industry and the innovative solutions being developed to create sustainable chocolate alternatives. The conversation features Massimo Sabatini, CEO of Foreverland, who shares insights into the cocoa supply chain, the impact of climate change, and the development of a new cocoa-free chocolate alternative mad...

This episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast discusses the innovative use of lignin, a byproduct of wood processing, to create bioplastics. The conversation explores the environmental impact of traditional plastics, the potential of lignin in sustainable materials, and the business model of Lignin Industries, a Swedish startup focused on turning lignin into bioplastics. Fredrik Malmfors, CEO of Li...

Tommaso Barbieri shares the story of Tomapaint, a startup focused on creating bio-resins from byproducts and waste from the Italian tomato processing industry. He discusses the innovative technology behind their product, bio-based cutin, and its applications in various industries, including food packaging and cosmetics. The conversation also explores Tomapaint's integration within the Italian...

In this episode of the BioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts interviews Viktoria Kanar, CEO of Refresh Global, a startup focused on innovative textile recycling. They discuss the challenges of textile waste management, the impact of fast fashion, and the upcoming EU Waste Framework Directive. Viktoria shares the founding story of Refresh Global, the technology behind their SmartUp system, and th...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses the pressing issue of plastic waste and recycling with Christian Sigmund, CEO of WildPlastic. They explore the current state of plastic recycling, the system innovation approach WildPlastic is taking to collect and repurpose plastic waste found in the environment around the world, and the importance of changing consumer perce...

In this episode of the bioCircular Loop podcast, Melina Gerdts discusses waste valorization and the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing these processes with John Goriup, CEO of VCG.AI . They explore how AI can optimize waste management, predict waste flows, and create sustainable business models. The conversation delves into the challenges of scaling waste valorization, the importance of...