Portfolio of selected advisory engagements
Examples of strategic roles undertaken during industrial biotechnology scale-up, where technology architecture, capital discipline and operational execution must align.
Sector focus
Koen Clymans advises founders, investors and boards navigating complex industrial biotechnology scale-up.
His work focuses on capital-intensive biosolutions platforms operating at the intersection of biology, engineering and industrial manufacturing.
Primary sectors and technologies:
- Industrial biotechnology and fermentation platforms
- Biosolutions and alternative proteins
- Advanced biomanufacturing and cell-based production
- Deep-technology ventures transitioning from pilot to industrial scale
Selected engagements
Examples of strategic advisory and leadership roles undertaken during industrial biotechnology scale-up. These engagements illustrate situations where technology architecture, capital discipline and industrial execution must align.
Industrial scale-up leadership
VC-backed biotechnology venture developing cultivated meat production technology.
View case details
Context: VC-backed biotechnology venture developing cultivated meat production technology.
Challenge: Scaling mammalian cell-based production from early process development toward industrial manufacturing required alignment between process development, engineering strategy and capital deployment.
Role: Director of Manufacturing & Engineering, overseeing process development, production, engineering and analytics within the leadership team.
Impact: Strengthened the industrialization roadmap for cultivated meat production, aligning engineering development, manufacturing strategy and investment planning during early scale-up phases.
Biomanufacturing ecosystem platform
Digital sourcing platform supporting biotechnology start-ups navigating industrial scale-up infrastructure
View case details
Context: Creation of a digital sourcing platform designed to support biotechnology start- and scale-ups in identifying infrastructure, suppliers and expertise required for industrial scale-up.
Challenge: Biotechnology ventures often face fragmented supply chains and limited visibility into pilot facilities, manufacturing partners and engineering capabilities necessary for industrialization.
Role: Founder and strategic architect of the platform, defining ecosystem structure and digital sourcing workflows connecting ventures with relevant infrastructure and partners.
Impact: Development of a sourcing and coordination platform improving transparency and decision-making for biotechnology companies navigating complex industrialization pathways.
VC-backed biosolutions venture advisory
Swiss venture-backed company developing next-generation functional food ingredients.
View case details
Context: Early-stage biosolutions venture developing novel food ingredients requiring a pathway from laboratory innovation to scalable manufacturing.
Challenge: Defining a clear industrialization pathway while balancing technology risk, capital requirements and operational feasibility during early scale-up stages.
Role: Advisor to founders and leadership team on manufacturing strategy, techno-economic validation and scale-up risk management.
Impact: Provided cross-platform biomanufacturing perspective supporting capital-efficient scale-up strategy and engineering prioritization aligned with investor milestones.
Industrial biotech ecosystem analysis
Strategic deep dive into industrial biotechnology opportunities within the Netherlands.
View case details
Context: Strategic evaluation of the industrial biotechnology landscape to identify high-impact opportunities across bio-based value chains.
Challenge: Mapping emerging technologies, industrial capabilities and ecosystem gaps across research institutions, start-ups and manufacturing infrastructure.
Role: Independent strategic analysis assessing industrial biotechnology potential, ecosystem alignment and investment opportunities.
Impact: Contributed structured insights supporting investment prioritization and ecosystem mobilization around industrial biotechnology opportunities.
Strategic governance in biotechnology scale-up
National programme supporting biotechnology ventures transitioning from research to industrial application.
View case details
Context: Biotech Booster supports emerging biotechnology ventures developing novel bio-based technologies and preparing them for industrial scale-up and commercial deployment.
Challenge: Early-stage biotechnology ventures often face significant gaps in scale-up strategy, techno-economic validation and industrial execution as they transition from research environments toward commercial manufacturing.
Role: Advisory and governance roles within the programme, including participation in project steering committees for selected ventures and delivery of scale-up bootcamps and training programmes supporting industrialization readiness.
Impact: Strengthened strategic guidance and scale-up capabilities across multiple biotechnology ventures by supporting founders and project teams in navigating industrialization pathways, technical risk and investment readiness.
Strategic governance in biotechnology scale-up
For board-level advisory, fractional CTO roles, TEAs and advice or strategic discussions on industrial biotechnology scale-up, please reach out directly.
Koen works with a limited number of ventures and investors where technology, capital and industrial execution must align.