Then and Now: 120 Bioeconomy Pioneers look at yesterday, today, inspirations and challenges

Mark Warner

Then: I was VP of Engineering for Imperium renewables just finishing construction of the Imperium Grays Harbor biodiesel facility.  We had broken ground in September of 2006 and were bringing the eighty million dollar facility online in less than a year from beginning construction.   The team was just beginning commissioning of the facility that had it’s official opening in August of 2007.  In all the projects I have done since then, it still has some of my fondest memories.  Great project, great team and the facility is still operating today, not many new technology plants of that era can make that claim. “An independent consultant in advanced biotechnology supporting a broad range of companies working to commercialize their advanced biotechnologies.

Now: The 10 years in between has been quite a blur.  Working for Harris Group on interesting projects such as Sapphire Energy’s IABR, Coskata’s proposed Alabama project, early stage development of the IneosBio/NPE Vero Beach project and many more. I spent nearly 3 years at Solazyme as their SVP of Engineering building plants in Brazil and the US midwest.   This was followed by a stint at Impossible Foods and then founding my own consulting practice assisting clients in advanced biotechnology commercialize their technology.  It has been an interesting and at times wild ride.”

Inspirations: The interesting and talented people that are in the industry.  Advanced biotechnology draws a diverse group of people from around the world, with impressive technical skills in biology, genetic engineering, process engineering and many, more areas.  Many of the people I have worked with are truly leaders in their technical expertise.  I have worked at multiple companies that have more than 15 languages spoken by the staff.   I find the wide range of experience and cultures very interesting.

Challenges: Unrealistic expectations of time and cost to commercialize technology.  I have seen over-optimism cause companies problems, making it more difficult for the next generation of companies to raise money.  The industry has learned a lot in the last 10 years (successes and failures), that needs to be leveraged going forward to make the overall industry a success.