{"id":489265,"date":"2024-10-06T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-06T11:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=489265"},"modified":"2024-10-06T13:22:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T11:22:00","slug":"it-must-start-with-a-vision-but-theres-no-roadmap-for-the-next-steps-krijn-de-noods-journey-in-cultivated-meat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/it-must-start-with-a-vision-but-theres-no-roadmap-for-the-next-steps-krijn-de-noods-journey-in-cultivated-meat\/","title":{"rendered":"It must start with a vision, but there’s no roadmap for the next steps: Krijn de Nood’s journey in cultivated meat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Krijn de Nood, co-founder of Meatable, has been on a groundbreaking journey in the cultivated meat industry. Speaking at the LEVEL UP 2024<\/a> event, he recounted the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned while spearheading a vision for a more sustainable future. From cold-calling farmers to sharing the first public tasting of lab-grown meat with journalists, his story is one of grit, vision, and the pursuit of a global food revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Krijn de Nood’s journey with Meatable began with a bold idea and a lot of uncertainty. \u201cThe first cells we needed came from a farmer named Marnix,\u201d he recalled. Despite having $3 million in seed funding and the promise of a working cell bank within 18 months, Meatable didn\u2019t initially have the pig or cow cells required for cultivated meat production. The team started by cold-calling farmers to find those vital cells, often met with skepticism. Yet, one farmer, Marnix, saw the potential and agreed to help. De Nood shared how he would receive calls, often in the dead of night, when a cow was in labor so that the team could collect umbilical cord blood, marking the very humble beginnings of a technological breakthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEVEL UP 2024<\/h2>

The LEVEL UP 2024 event hosted around 1,200 founders, entrepreneurs, and investors from all over the startup ecosystem. Read all our reporting on the LEVEL UP 2024 event here<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Meatable\u2019s journey wasn’t limited to labs and farms. De Nood recounted meeting notable figures, including King Carl Gustav of Sweden. “I was telling the usual story of how our solution is more sustainable, slaughter-free, and produces less methane,” he said. But the king, an avid livestock farmer, had a different perspective. \u201cHe told me, \u2018If I\u2019m not on official duties, I\u2019m at my farm looking after my cattle,\u2019\u201d shared de Nood. These interactions highlighted the diverse views on food production and the challenges Meatable would face in changing public perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First public tasting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the crowning moments for de Nood and his team was the first public tasting of their product. In Europe, cultivated meat is subject to stringent regulations, requiring safety assessments before it can be publicly tasted. The team achieved a significant milestone after more than a year of working with the Dutch government. “We hosted the first public tasting with Michelin-star chef Ron Blauw and journalists from The Guardian and The New York Times. It was a beautiful closure to the six-year journey,” he said. Despite already knowing he would soon step down as CEO, this success marked a personal highlight for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Krijn
Krijn de Nood, Meatable, Level Up 2024 Evoluon, Eindhoven \u00a9 Bram Saeys<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on the years with Meatable, de Nood admitted it was a \u201ctrajectory-changing adventure.\u201d The journey was not without frustration and hardship. He described the constant grind of difficult decisions, managing setbacks, and keeping up appearances, especially when faced with rejection from investors or failed experiments. Yet, he found it worthwhile, noting that these challenges taught him much about himself and strengthened his resolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It starts with a vision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

De Nood emphasized the importance of vision in the success of a startup. \u201cEvery startup starts with a vision,\u201d he stated. This vision creates movement, rallying investors and employees behind a cause. He remarked that European companies, particularly in the Netherlands, could learn from the U.S. about the power of a solid vision to inspire action. However, he also acknowledged the importance of thinking small – breaking the vision into manageable projects and tasks. This approach helped Meatable achieve milestones and aligned the team on their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also shared lessons on hiring, noting the need to distinguish between executive hires and other roles. “For executive hires, focus on the specific skill required to solve the current challenge,” he advised, recounting how hiring the wrong person set them back in the past. For other hires, he emphasized the importance of intrinsic qualities, such as problem-solving and positive energy, that contribute to a team’s overall success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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