Last week, we concluded Module 4 of our Industrial Biotech Bootcamp, a collaboration between Planet B.io and Biotech Booster. This module immersed our cohort in three essentials for biotech founders: team dynamics, pitching & storytelling, and public affairs.
Tijl Hoefnagels, drawing on his experience as an impact investor, emphasized a core truth: the team makes the company. Early-stage founders often lack the tools or the courage to have tough team conversations. Tijl gave participants practical ways to handle these discussions, stressing that today’s unresolved team issues become tomorrow’s obstacles.
In the afternoon, Giuseppe Marzio led “Winners Have a Story.” He unpacked the craft of compelling narratives, showed how to tailor pitch decks, and gave tips for projecting confidence on stage. His advice was timely as our cohort prepared for the internal Pitch Competition and the Pitch Perfect event in Brussels.
We finished with Timen van Haaster from HollandBio, who provided a concise, timely update on biotech policy. Covering Dutch cabinet visions, the first national tastings of cultured meat, and the European Biotech Act, Timen explained why founders must track regulatory and political developments to position their innovations.
A huge thank you to all lecturers and participants for making this final module such a success!
Looking Back at Pitch Perfect in Brussels
We also want to reflect on last week’s Pitch Perfect event in Brussels: the place to meet fellow bio-innovators, investors, and facilitators shaping the sector.
Among participants from 33 countries, the Dutch biotech community stood out. With Planet B.io, Invest-NL, BOM, InnovationQuarter, Oost NL, and Biotech Booster present, the Netherlands remains fertile ground for the growth and financing of industrial biotech companies.
