In this series “Meet the people behind Biotech Booster” we introduce you to the passionate people who are involved in our mission.
A big part of our team consists of Biotech Booster business- and impact developers. They operate on a national level within five distinct Thematic Clusters (TC’s) that each represent specific biotech focus areas. Our business- and impact developers collaborate nationally on a daily basis to identify early-stage high-potential biotechnology findings. They guide scientists and aspiring entrepreneurs in their journey to transform their ideas into successful biotech businesses so that biotechnology findings have a faster positive impact on society.
Name
Jasper Dijkstra
What is your role within Biotech Booster?
I am a Business Developer for Biotech Booster at RUG/UMCG. I’m part of Thematic Cluster (TC) 3 and 4 and we focus on ATMPS and Biopharmaceuticals (TC-3) and Diagnostics and Services (TC-4).
Can you describe your role in a nutshell?
As a Business Developer for TC-3 and TC-4, I am responsible for scouting new ideas within our thematic cluster, drafting project proposals, presenting projects to my colleagues in TC meetings, and reviewing projects presented by other Business / Impact Developers. In the next phase, I will also support and monitor the business development of the awarded projects.
In my role, I work with enthusiastic scientists to bring their innovations to the market. At the same time, I work closely with my colleagues from other cities to review proposals and help each other improve our projects. This review step is an essential and unique part of the Biotech Booster program that adds a lot of value.
What motivated you to join Biotech Booster’s mission?
I have always had a passion for translating science into products. This is the field I have always worked in. Building new ideas, projects, start-ups and eventually introducing new products that impact people’s lives is what drives me.
At Biotech Booster, we have the opportunity to not only advise researchers on how to bring their innovations to the market, but also to actually implement the proposed plans, get things done and achieve tangible results. I believe this will make a big difference in positively impacting society with biotech innovations. That is why I immediately said yes to the opportunity to join Biotech Booster!
What do you love most about your role? Pick one thing!
To see all of these promising biotech innovations on a daily basis and to work with my colleagues to help the projects reach their full potential.
You’ve been involved in Biotech Booster for a while. What are you most proud of? And what do you hope to achieve in the coming years?
I am very proud that we have been able to prepare so many promising biotech projects to be supported by Biotech Booster. As a next step, I would like to see more collaborative projects where partners can strengthen each other, such as a combination of a technical university and a university medical center together with a start-up company.
My overall long-term goal is that we will be able to develop the Biotech Booster projects into viable companies that provide solutions to society.
If you had a few million to invest in biotech, what type of company would you start yourself or in which company would you invest and why?
There are two areas I am very interested in and where I see great potential: personalized medicine and gene therapy. Having worked in several biotech companies in the field of diagnostics, I see a lot of potential in personalized medicine. I would invest in a company that is working on diagnostics that will enable personalized medicine, thereby increasing efficacy, reducing side effects, and saving costs and time. This is the kind of societal impact that I think is very much needed.
Curious about the rest of the people behind Biotech Booster? Keep an eye out on our LinkedIn page or sign up for our newsletter below to stay up-to-date!
