Family business invests in start-up
As part of a strategic partnership, Bürkert Fluid Control Systems has taken a stake in the Giessen-based start-up Green Elephant Biotech. Together with Bürkert, the start-up is aiming to make cell cultivation processes in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries more efficient, flexible and sustainable so that, for example, life-saving therapeutics can be produced more cost-effectively. The partnership gives Bürkert access to the latest trends and developments in the biopharmaceutical industry, one of the strategic core markets of the fluidics specialist from Ingelfingen. “We believe that Green Elephant Biotech’s innovative cell culture systems have great potential to revolutionise production processes in the industry. This is in line with our corporate vision of bringing solutions for a regenerative economy to the market,” says Bürkert CEO Georg Stawowy.
Green Elephant Biotech was founded in 2021 by Dr Joel Eichmann and Felix Wollenhaupt at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences in Giessen. Compared to conventional cell culture vessels, the innovative and patented CellScrew® cell cultivation system enables a hugely increased growth surface for adherent cell cultures with the same volume. Furthermore, the CellScrew® is additively manufactured from polylactide (PLA) using 3D printing.
Founder Felix Wollenhaupt explains: “Conventional cell culture vessels are significantly larger, are single-use items, are thrown away after one use and are often incinerated for regulatory reasons. This produces a lot of CO2. Our CellScrew® is, firstly, made from less raw material, which means less waste in and of itself. Secondly, we use PLA, a biopolymer obtained from plants. This reduces the carbon footprint by around 90 % compared to conventional systems.”
By working with Bürkert as a strong, strategic partner, the founders have access to resources that will enable them to further develop their company. Joel Eichmann adds: “Together with Bürkert, we want to turn the CellScrew® into a fully fledged bioreactor. This requires liquids to be exchanged, gases to be monitored and processes to be regulated. Bürkert has the technical components and expertise to integrate this into a system. Together, we want to develop a cost-effective, reliable and sustainable production platform for the pharmaceutical industry, especially for personalised medicine.”
The green transition forms a key part of the start-up’s vision – as manifested in the Green Elephant metaphor. Supporting large companies in the context of the green transition requires new approaches, courageous company founders and family businesses that want to make their contribution to the regenerative economy.
Family business Bürkert Fluid Control Systems invests in start-up Green Elephant Biotech
(from left) Dr Joel Eichmann (Managing Director and founder of Green Elephant Biotech), Hendrik Faustmann (New Business Model Development, Bürkert), Georg Stawowy (CEO Bürkert), Caspar von Schoeler (Corporate Development, Bürkert), Roman Gaida (CSO Bürkert), Felix Wollenhaupt (Managing Director and founder of Green Elephant Biotech)
Family business Bürkert Fluid Control Systems invests in start-up Green Elephant Biotech
(from left) Felix Wollenhaupt (Managing Director and founder of Green Elephant Biotech), Dr Joel Eichmann (Managing Director and founder of Green Elephant Biotech), Georg Stawowy (CEO Bürkert)
The innovative internal structure of the CellScrew® provides a large growth surface for cell cultures in a very small space and enables optimum growth conditions with low shear forces and excellent gas exchange.
