The first episode of the ShapingBio podcast is now live on Spotify. In this episode host Cath Mersh discusses the challenges that bioeconomy startups face when transitioning from a lab-scale operation to a commercial-scale business. This critical phase, ominously known as the "valley of death," is where many young enterprises fail.

The episode highlights Myco4Food, a Danish biotech spinout from Aalborg University, as an example of why specialised R&D support is crucial for successful scaling. Now based just outside Copenhagen, Myco4Food has found a strong ally in the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), particularly the expertise and pilot facilities of the DTI Centre for Bioresources. This support has been a significant factor in why Myco4Food's Chief Scientific Officer, Lei Yang, is preparing to launch the company's first product on the market later this year.

Anne Christine Hastrup, Director of the Centre for Bioresources at DTI, shares practical insights into how partnerships between research institutes and startups are initiated and why these collaborations are key to closing the scale-up gap.

Listen to the episode now on Spotify to gain insights into how Myco4Food is navigating their scaling journey and the resources that have supported them along the way.