These entrepreneurs are determined to make Brainport a leading Biomaterials region: 'We can do more than make chips here’

One of the entrepreneurs, Dan Jing Wu, is in her mid-30s and is at the forefront of her career in biomedical technology. As the co-founder of VivArt-X, she is pioneering regenerative breast implants. Her innovative work has earned her recognition, including being named one of FD Talent's 50under35 and a spot on the Financial Times’ list of the 50 most promising women globally.

The other entrepreneur, Jan Rietsema, has over 30 years of experience in the biomaterials field. A few years ago, he was tasked with creating a business plan for the Smart BioMaterials Consortium (SBMC), and now he serves as its chair. With a development laboratory on the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) campus and a pilot production plant on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, he is working on a high-quality infrastructure to accelerate the development and production of smart bio and biocompatible materials. 

Dan Jing Wu and Jan Rietsema share a common vision: they are committed to making Brainport a globally recognized region for innovation in the biomaterials sector. Both VivArt-X and SBMC rely on the support of Twice, a startup incubator, to help them scale their groundbreaking work in the biomaterials field.

Keeping all the balls in the air

Dan Jing: “We came into contact even before SBMC was established. At that time, there was a grant from one of the innovation projects here in the region: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). We were both in a start-up phase then, so I asked if you were up for applying together.” 

Jan: “Yes, we still had to develop our services before offering them to companies. A grant like the ERDF helped tremendously, then. We founded SBMC because a lot is happening in Eindhoven in biomedical engineering, both at the TU/e and at startups. Companies like Vivolta, Stentit, Xeltis, VivArt-X, and UPyTher are frontrunners in regenerative medicine. But they need support. The market is not yet mature, and commercializing a medtech product is a complicated and long process anyway.”

Dan Jing: “I am often asked when we can enter the market. But VivArt-X has only been around for two years. I don't want to comment on that - there are so many aspects we have to consider: financing, laws and regulations, gathering the right people around you, and finding a laboratory that meets all the quality requirements. And I could go on and on. People forget how many things need to match.” 

Jan: “I notice that too. I am now at the helm of a starting organization for the first time. When the Brabant Development Organization (BOM) and the TU/e asked me to write a business plan for SBMC, I immediately thought: this is very cool. Everything comes together for me here: technology, innovation, and healthcare applications that can have a big impact. Although we are lucky with funding, there are also many challenges. Negotiating, using your network smartly, growing a business. SBMC is a consortium funded by the National Growth Fund, but eventually, it has to grow into a service company that can fend for itself. So we are also a kind of startup.”

'Alpha is our garage'

Dan Jing: “You need an ecosystem as a tech startup. To this extent, both Twice and SBMC are indispensable. Especially at this early stage. As a medtech startup, you can't develop a product from an attic room or rent a flex spot somewhere in the center of Eindhoven. Meanwhile, the money to rent your laboratory immediately is not there either. We can easily rent an office on the university campus in Twice's Alpha building. That's important to be taken seriously by investors. I recently read about three students from MIT who started a multi-million dollar company in a garage. In some way, Alpha is our garage: we lay the foundation of the ecosystem here.”

Brainport: a rising biomaterials region in Europe

Jan: “For years, there was a high threshold for startups renting an office. With the Alpha building, Twice has removed that barrier. But more is needed than business space and laboratory facilities. Think of venture building and financing. That's why SBMC works closely with the BOM, Brainport, the TU/e, Fontys, and Helmond Biotech Materials Hub. We want to put the region on the map as an international hotspot for developing smart biomaterials. Together, we have everything we need to succeed..”

Dan Jing: “I agree. Brainport can do much more than chips. But wouldn't we be better off focusing on startups coming out of this region first? Lab spaces are scarce, and if you attract foreign companies, it will also make it harder for local startups.”

Jan: “If we want to establish ourselves as a biomaterials region, we need more startups. There are still not enough young companies coming from our region. So, we need to attract startups from abroad. And yes, there should be enough space for startups from Brainport. But I don't see it as competition. It remains the entrepreneur's responsibility to be faster than possible competition–it always is.” 

Hard work

Jan: “When you started, SBMC didn't exist. So you had to put all those puzzle pieces together yourself.”

Dan Jing: “My motto is: don't think but do. So,  I go out a lot to broaden my network. Startups never have enough funding, and there is always a shortage of lab space, but being an entrepreneur also means learning to put this puzzle together yourself. It's nice that SBMC supports the ecosystem infrastructure, but you still have to put your shoulders on the wheel to make the most of it as an entrepreneur. 

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From stringing chains to medtech entrepreneur: the entrepreneurial journey

Jan: “Have you ever thought: I want to be an entrepreneur?”

Dan Jing: “Yes! As a little girl, I used to buy beads with my first savings. Then, I made necklaces out of those and sold them to my friends. The result was that I extorted their pocket money and got ahead myself (laughs). In addition to my promotion, I founded a fashion brand with a friend. And then VivArt-X came my way.”

Jan: “And do you like it as much as you always thought you would?”

Dan Jing: “There are a lot of challenges, but I enjoy it immensely and learn every day. When I look back to two years ago, I gained many new skills: managing people, bringing in money, and setting up a business structure. Those are all things you don't learn while studying. I always call myself Chief of Everything Else Officer (CEO). My job is to ensure my people have their hands free to develop our product. I bring in the money and take care of the rest. What's that like for you?”

Jan: “I enjoy it tremendously. In five years, we want to be a full-service company that supports biomaterial companies in bringing their therapy to patients. Now, we get funding from the National Growth Fund, but then we want to stand independently and commercially offer our services. That is the biggest quest for us right now. With the current facilities, we can move forward for the next few years. We will stay with our development facility in Catalyst. It's very convenient to be so close to the TU/e. We will also build a pilot product facility at the High Tech Campus. So there's a lot of great things to come.”

Dan Jing: “I can't say where VivArt-X will be in five years. We are now conducting pre-clinical studies and have yet to conduct patient studies. Patricia (Dankers, co-founder of VivArt-X, ed.) and I are deciding which market we will enter first. We depend on investors and development plans, among other things. What is your tip for young startup entrepreneurs?”

Jan: “You need an ecosystem around you. So connect with the world around you; otherwise, you won't get there.”

Dan Jing: “Meeting people and building a network is indispensable, just like gathering a good team around you. Our team comprises people who complement each other; we build our business together. And do it! Don't stay in your head too much. That's a stumbling block I see in many beginning entrepreneurs. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.”