S193: Collaborative Derisking: Accelerating Commercialization of Bio-based Technologies

his presentation outlines the challenges involved in transitioning early-stage technologies to commercial application.   The author will present several case studies drawing from his prior stint as a successful entrepreneur, and on his current experience at MBI.   Case studies will include the commercialization of a bio-based route to the anticancer drug Taxol, development of AFEX biomass processing technology for making fermentable sugars, and scale up of C4 platform chemicals.  The lessons learned from these case studies will be summarized with a view to effectively bridging the gap between research and commercial application, and will enable the industrial biotechnology enterprise to accelerate its growth, magnify its impact, and ultimately reach its full potential.