Biotech Booster works closely together with a pool of 150+ experienced entrepreneurs who play a vital role in the program. In this series, we highlight the various ways in which they contribute: from helping to select promising early-stage projects, to guiding project teams as a virtual board member and beyond. Each article features one entrepreneur, sharing about how and why they are part of the Biotech Booster community.
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From rare diseases to mentorship
For Willem van Weperen, biotech is not just an industry: it’s a lifelong mission. Trained as a medical biologist, he quickly discovered that his passion lay not in the lab, but in connecting science to real-world impact. His early career took him from GSK to Genzyme, the pioneering biotech company known for developing the first therapies for rare diseases.
“At Genzyme, I learned what it means to take risks for something that truly matters,” he recalls. “We were working on treatments for ultra-rare diseases. At times, people thought it was impossible. But that experience shaped everything I’ve done since.”
Today, Willem serves as CEO of a Norwegian biotech company while mentoring the next generation of biotech leaders by sharing his experience. He’s also part of the Panel of Entrepreneurs 2025 for Biotech Booster’s Level 2 selection process this year, where he helps identify proof-of-concept projects with the potential to make meaningful, lasting impact.
Patients first approach
Throughout his career, Willem has been guided by one principle: always keep the patient in mind. “When you’re developing something new, talk to the patients early,” he says. “Don’t just rely on scientific endpoints or what regulators want to see, but ask patients themselves what really matters to them. Sometimes what matters to them is not about walking further in a six-minute walk test, but about being able to button their own shirt or using their keyboard again.”
That human-centered perspective is exactly what he brings to Biotech Booster. “When we review project proposals, we don’t just look at the paper. We look at the people, their passion, their sense of purpose, their ability to push through. Because especially in biotech, resilience is just as important as innovation.”
Inside the Panel of Entrepreneurs 2025
At Biotech Booster, Willem is part of a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs who assess Level 2 project proposals. Each year, a new panel is put together with each member bringing a different background, from medical to green biotech, which creates a rich and constructive dialogue.
“The process starts individually,” he explains. “Each of us reads and scores the proposals, forming our own questions and views. Then we come together to discuss and that’s where the real value lies. You see people challenge each other, rethink positions, and collectively identify where the strongest potential lies.”
For Willem, one of the most powerful moments came when the panel chose to select a project outside his own field of expertise. “It was a green biotech project using seaweed to extract sustainable proteins. I initially leaned toward a medical case, but the discussion convinced me otherwise. That’s the strength of having a diverse panel: you look beyond your own domain to what’s best for society as a whole.”
Innovation needs continuity
As both an entrepreneur and a mentor, Willem also has a message for policymakers. “Programs like Biotech Booster fill a critical gap – the ‘valley of death’ between early research and investable proof of concept,” he says. “Right now, financing is incredibly tough, even for experienced teams. Biotech Booster helps bridge that gap, but we need to keep supporting it long-term. Innovation doesn’t happen in election cycles.”
He argues that structural support for biotech should remain a national priority. “We invest billions in defense and digital innovation, and that’s fine. But we can’t forget health, food, and sustainability. Those are the foundations of our future.”
Giving back and staying inspired
For Willem, being part of Biotech Booster is as much about giving back as it is about staying connected. “It gives me energy,” he says. “To see young entrepreneurs pitch their ideas, to debate with peers, to reconnect with people I’ve known for decades. It reminds me why I started in biotech in the first place.”
He laughs when he adds, “And honestly, I’m still in the same boat as many of them – running a startup, raising funds, trying to make it work. The only difference is that I’ve got more grey hairs now.”
That humility, and his emphasis on purpose, makes Willem a natural fit for Biotech Booster’s mission. “You can’t do this work without passion,” he says. “As Henri Termeer (Genzyme’s CEO between 1981-2011) used to tell us in his own words: If it’s not for the patient, it doesn’t make sense to continue. That’s still my compass today.”
Want to get involved in Biotech Booster as an entrepreneur? Contact us!
