From Lab to Market: “You need partners who believe in it”
Interview with Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht on biopolymers, collaboration and the power of focus
The path from biotechnological discovery to real-world application is often long, bumpy and far from linear. But if anyone knows how to navigate that journey successfully, it’s Professor Mark van Loosdrecht. From his position at TU Delft, he initiated groundbreaking innovations such as Anammox, Nereda, and, not least, Kaumera.
We spoke to him about the process of “going from lab to market,” a phase Kaumera is now fully entering. “Innovation only becomes interesting when you start applying it. That’s when the real questions come to the surface.” According to Van Loosdrecht, the practical world is not the end of research, but a source of new insights. And that requires a different way of thinking — and above all: collaboration.
The Strength of the Chain
Innovation only works when all links in the chain move together, says Van Loosdrecht. Not just the research institutes or technology developers, but especially the parties that will eventually use the product in their own applications. “Without an involved market partner, you won’t get there. You need someone within an organisation who says: ‘We’re going to do this.’” The same holds true for Kaumera. Connecting to real-world applications in sectors like agriculture, construction and industry is key — and requires active co-development with market players.
Focus and Determination
One of the previous challenges was scale: there simply wasn’t enough Kaumera available to run meaningful tests. That’s changed. Thanks to full-scale extraction, we can now supply volumes that enable true experimentation, optimisation, and scaling. But availability alone isn’t enough, says Van Loosdrecht: “You need parties that are focused. That don’t just do this on the side, but who make a clear commitment to develop this together.” That’s precisely why the launch of Kaumera Sales & Services B.V. is such a logical step: a dedicated organisation focused on bringing Kaumera to success — with and for its partners.
Why Kaumera?
Kaumera is a biopolymer with unique properties: it binds, strengthens, acts as a flame retardant, and can be applied in coatings, agriculture, the paper industry, and more. And it’s sourced from residual streams that will continue to exist — because wastewater is always there. “In principle, we can produce 10 kilos of Kaumera per person per year in the Netherlands,” says Van Loosdrecht. “That’s not a niche — that’s a serious resource.”
Ready for the Next Step?
Van Loosdrecht concludes with a call to action: “What we need are companies that say: we’re doing this. Not just enthusiastic ones, but those who make it part of their R&D roadmap. Who want to build real-impact applications with Kaumera that offer perspective for a circular future.”
At Kaumera, we believe in that too. That’s why we’re actively looking for partners to explore, test, and develop with us.
Curious what Kaumera could mean for your application?
Want to explore if we’re a match?
Get in touch via info@kaumera.com or send us a message.
Together, we bring innovation into practice — and make it practical.