Latest / Lab to Market Leadership with Chris Reichhelm
Why Customer Traction Matters Far More Than Another Perfect Experiment
In this episode of Lab-to-Market Leadership, Chris sits down with Ben Dolman, Founder and ex-CEO at Holiferm, to unpack how a PhD project became a commercial biosurfactant business serving more than 200 customers worldwide.
Ben explains why Holiferm focused on production economics from the beginning, treating cost as part of the technology rather than something to solve after scale-up. He also shares how early customer outreach, paid samples, and commercial proof helped unlock investment and shape the company’s direction.
The conversation explores Holiferm’s shift from licensing to building…
The skinny
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