Belgian biotech startup incubator and early stage investor biotope by VIB saw three of its portfolio startups achieve significant milestones in 2024, raising investment in excess of €10m and launching novel products to the market. In addition, these and other startups in the portfolio were awarded grants totalling €10.4m.
The three startups achieving significant success in 2024, members of biotope’s first and second cohorts from 2022, are progressing steadily towards commercialisation. All participated in biotope’s intensive programme of support in areas critical for the development of early-stage biotech startups, including IP, business strategy, law and fundraising as well as the facilities, expertise and sounding boards needed to strengthen its scientific framework.
The funding successes included:
- B’Zeos (Switzerland/Spain) which has developed a biodegradable, seaweed-based plastic alternative for the packaging industry, has also closed a multi-million Euro seed round led by FABER and ICIG Ventures, bringing its total funding to more than €5M.
- Fermentation-produced biosurfactants pioneer AmphiStar (Belgium) raised €6M pre-series A from ECBF, Qbic III and Flanders Future Tech Fund. It also raised a €2M non-dilutive grant from Germany’s Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIN-D).
- Biological soil health startup ZymoFix (Belgium) closed a €2M seed round led by High-Tech Gründerfonds with the Nest family office and VP capital.
In addition to closing funding, startups in biotope’s portfolio have achieved other important milestones in their journeys.
Zymofix secured funding from the highly-competitive European Innovation Council (EIC) accelerator programme for the N-Spire project under its 2023 “Novel Technologies for Resilient Agriculture”. Its beet pulp microbial biofertiliser methods was selected as one of three winning ideas in the competitive COSUN BEET Hackathon, opening the door to co-operation with COSUN BEET to develop the idea further. Zymofix also hired Devgen and Syngenta veteran Wendy Maddelein as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), bringing decades of expertise in developing biological crop production solutions.
Meanwhile, AmphiStar hired Pierre-Franck Valentin, former President and General Manager of the Performance Polyamides division at Belgian chemical engineering giant Solvay, as its new CEO. 2024 also saw the launch of two biosurfactant products, AmphiCare™ and AmphiClean™, designed for the personal care and home cleaning industries respectively.
The grants that all these startups have received show the multiplying effect that investment, as well as support, can have in unlocking grant funding opportunities and growing startup teams.
The successes also saw the startups increasing the size of their teams, with the total number of employees across biotope’s entire 13-business portfolio more than doubling from 32.3 FTE when the startups joined and projected to reach 82.3 in 2025.
Annick Verween, Head of Biotope, said: “It’s great that these startups’ hard work has been rewarded with the funding they deserve and we congratulate those who have launched products and brought on new talent. Our startups demonstrate the best of what biotech can achieve when amazingly talented minds are given the correct resources at the right time.
At present, the startup investment environment is very challenging and biotope is proud to have been able to offer support to all our startups as they take their early steps toward commercialisation. We firmly believe that this kind of innovation is worth nurturing to build a more prosperous and sustainable future and we’re excited to follow their journeys.”
Sophie Roelants, co-founder and COO of AmphiStar, outlined the importance of biotope for the startup. “For us, biotope has been a transformational force and was truly pivotal in helping us secure our funding rounds.” she said. “The programme immersed us in a warm bath of support in areas critical for early stage startups and connected us with exceptional individuals who now work with us. We’re confident that without biotope it would have taken us much longer to achieve what we did and we might not have been able to close our ambitious round at all. Biotope’s backing encouraged one early investor to commit to AmphiStar significantly earlier than it usually would. ”
Guy Maurice, SeaEO® at B’Zeos, also underscored biotope’s contribution. “Biotope has been a pivotal partner in B'ZEOS' journey, by providing tailored guidance, high-level coaching, deep-dive workshops, and invaluable mentorship.” she explained. “Biotope's tech-oriented approach and extensive network have helped us sharpen our strategic focus, overcome challenges, and accelerate growth. As early adopters and strong believers in our mission, biotope has guided us across key areas, from IP strategy to investor relations. Their support has been instrumental in refining our approach and building strong partnerships.”
Biotope is an incubator and early stage investor launched in 2022 by the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB). They support biotech startups seeking preseed-stage funding. Twice a year, following a three-week basecamp, two to four startups are selected for a €250k cash investment and an 18-month support programme with access to biotope’s network of investors, partners and experts. Biotope has supported five cohorts of startups so far, with the selection basecamp for its sixth taking place in autumn 2024.
The autumn 2024 basecamp welcomed startups from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
For more information about Biotope, please visit: https://biotope-incubator.com/