Pitch Perfect and Boost the European Bioeconomy 2025
Cross-border Pitching, Matchmaking and Networking Event
24 November 2025: Satellite Events, Keynote, Investor Pitches & Informal Walking Dinner
13:30 - 22:00, Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel
View Full Schedule
10:00 - 13:00: Satellite Events
| Time of day | Title | Speakers | Keywords | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.00 - 13.00 | The ProteInn Club Industrial Sounding Board Meeting | Organised by The ProteInn Club - By invitation only – | Download | |
| 11:00 - 13:30 | Bioaromatics on the Rise: Why you should get on board with this innovative biobased material | Organised by VITO & TNO and OPEN to ALL – Programme see "what's going on - satellite events" webpage | Download |
14:00 - 15:30: Inspirational Keynote Session: From Lab to Fab, Commercializing the Bioeconomy
| Time of day | Title | Speakers | Keywords | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 - 13:45 | Welcome & Opening of the Event | Katrien Molders - Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant; Yang Zou - Pilots4U powered by COPILOT & Julie Vanderstraeten - The ProteInn Club – moderated by Stef Denayer, Stakeholder Relations Manager, Pilots4U powered by COPILOT | Download | |
| 13:45 - 14:00 | A word from our Co-Organisers | Victoria Frej Brohus - DI Biosolutions; Cindy Gerhardt - Planet-B.io; Brigit van Dijk - BOM BrabantseOntwikkelingsMaatschappij – moderated by Stef Denayer, Stakeholder Relations Manager, Pilots4U powered by COPILOT | Download | |
| 14:00 - 14:20 | From innovation to industry - bridging the gap | Martin Tangney – Founder & Scientific Advisor, Celtic Renewables, UK | Download | |
| 14:20 - 14:40 | Transformation of the Specialty Chemicals Industry; Case studies on Rhamnolipids and Rheticus® | David Voigtlaender – VP Research, Development and Innovation, Evonik Care Solutions, DE | Download | |
| 14:40 - 15:00 | Panel Discussion: Key drivers for successful commercialisation of industrial biotechnology innovations | Martin Tangney (Celtic Renewables), David Voigtlaender (Evonik Care Solutions), Hendrik Waegeman (Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant), Rob van der Meij (Capricorn Partners) – Moderated by: Melina Gerdts, Founder & Host, bioCircular Loop | Download | |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | Panel Discussion: Is current EU policy hampering or facilitating the journey from Lab to Fab? | Agata Kotkowska (DG ENV, Unit B.1 Bioeconomy & Sustainable Materials), Szilvia Nemeth (DG RTD, Unit E.2 Knowledge Valorisation & Technology Infrastructures), Dirk Carrez (Bio-based Industries Consortium), Nicolo Giacomuzzi-Moore (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking), Victoria Frej Brohus (DI Biosolutions) – Moderated by Melina Gerdts, Founder & Host, bioCircular Loop | Download |
16:00 - 17:15: Investor Pitch Session 1
| Time of day | Title | Speakers | Keywords | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16:00 - 16:03 | Introduction by session moderator | Moderator: Stef Denayer, Stakeholder Relations Manager, Pilots4U – Timekeeper: tbc | Download | |
| 16:04 - 16:09 | Backing bold entrepreneurs committed to planetary and human health | Adrian Friederich – FoodLabs | Download | |
| 16:10 - 16:15 | Continuing Yanmar’s legacy of innovation through investments into impactful deeptech | Ana Ward – Yanmar Ventures | Download | |
| 16:16 - 16:21 | CMPC Ventures: From Forest to Future | Anna Niittylä – CMPC Ventures | Download | |
| 16:22 - 16:27 | Transforming the agrifood system from Soil & Sea to Gut | Laure Peronnin – Astanor | Download | |
| 16:28 - 16:33 | Ingredients for a Sustainable Future | Claire Smith – Beyond Impact VC | Download | |
| 16:34 - 16:39 | Unlocking the Potential of Industrial Biotechnology: The Capricorn Industrial Biotech Fund | Daniela Arruda Costa – Capricorn Partners | Download | |
| 16:40 - 16:45 | Title to be announced | Diana Rucinschi – European Innovation Council | Download | |
| 16:46 - 16:51 | Investing for impact: a family office’s commitment to biodiversity, climate and social equality across five investment domains | Jobien Laurijssen – VP Capital | Download | |
| 16:52 - 16:57 | It’s time to rethink what we build – and what we build with. | Johan van Heusden – Value Factory | Download | |
| 16:58 - 17:03 | Investments in Hyper-Scalable Companies that Can Achieve Rapid Growth | Katarzyna Gil – ICOS Capital | Download | |
| 17:04 - 17:09 | Investing in a Sustainable Future: Equity capital exclusively dedicated to the Circular Bioeconomy. | Michael Nettersheim – European Circular Bioeconomy Fund, ECBF | Download | |
| 17:10 - 17:15 | Brabant, scale up plant of Europe | Daan van Lange – BOM Brabant Ventures | Download |
17:45 - 19:00: Investor Pitch Session 2
| Time of day | Title | Speakers | Keywords | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:45 - 17:48 | Introduction by session moderator | Moderator: Stef Denayer, Stakeholder Relations Manager, Pilots4U – Timekeeper: tbc | Download | |
| 17:49 - 17:54 | Biotope Ventures: Investing in early-stage biotech start-ups impacting planetary health | Annick Verween – biotope by VIB | Download | |
| 17:55 - 18:00 | From Lab to Factory: Patient capital for the Bioeconomy | Ingrid Rombouts – Oost NL | Download | |
| 18:01 - 18:06 | Investing in Sustainable Focused Start Ups | René Reijtenbagh – Business Angels Connect | Download | |
| 18:07 - 18:12 | The Power of Focus | Theis Malmborg – NOON Ventures | Download | |
| 18:13 - 18:18 | Circular debt: project finance for first-of-a-kind circular production innovations | Ward Heij – Polestar Capital | Download | |
| 18:19 - 18:24 | Scaling the industry, opportunities in the bioeconomy | Xandra Weinbeck – Invest-NL | Download | |
| 18:25 - 18:30 | Scaling up through blended finance with Biobased Circular Subsidy Fund | Rick Passenier – Biobased Circular | Download | |
| 18:31 - 18:36 | Partners in ambition – financing for start-ups and scale-ups | Cato Vanleysen – PMV | Download | |
| 18:37 - 18:42 | Leveraging biotech to decarbonise industry; Food, Chemicals, Materials, Agriculture | Mariam Cherifi & Gabriela Sachet Fernandez – Sofinnova Partners | Download | |
| 18:43 - 18:48 | Biotech Booster: Investing in the Future of Dutch Biotechnology | Nettie Buitelaar – Biotech Booster | Download | |
| 18:49 - 18:54 | Fueling the Bioeconomy: InnovationQuarter Capital’s Strategic Investment in Scalable Bio-Based Innovations | Fleur Rooker – InnovationQuarter | Download |