INTERVIEW 62 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2025 About Thierry Duvanel Thierry Duvanel is Director of Innovation for the Buhler Group, managing the front-end innovation activities and overseeing the scouting and engagement with startups for the group. Before joining Buhler Duvanel led MassChallenge Switzerland, the European branch of the leading global startup accelerator. The program runs today with over 1’500 yearly applications from startups from all around the world and provides support to 100 each year. Prior to MassChallenge, Thierry Duvanel co-founded two companies active in software development and medical devices respectively, successfully managed and exited them. Originally from Switzerland, he has been working and living in the UK and South Korea, and is now based in the US. Duvanel holds a Bachelor and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and has been trained at the International Institute for Management Development – IMD in Switzerland. While leading MassChallenge, Thierry Duvanel learned about planetary boundaries and the important environmental footprint generated by our food system. He decided to contribute to the development of strategies to reform our food system into a prosperous and regenerative state. When not trying to tackle the root cause problems in our food system and meeting entrepreneurs solving them, he enjoys running, cycling and hiking. About Ben Gradus Director of Product, BSF at NRGene, Ben Gradus has been working in the Ag/biotech computational biology industry for 13 years, 4 of them at NRGene, and has been practicing agriculture for the rest of his adult life. Throughout his professional career, Gradus has led all aspects of product management, including the development of innovative computational platforms. In the past two years, Ben Gradus has focused on developing NRGene's BSF R&D program, which includes computational molecular breeding tools, innovative phenotyping, and variety development. He holds a PhD in molecular genetics from the Weizmann Institute of Science, a B.Sc. in agronomy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an MBA from the College of Management. manufacturers worldwide. By showcasing successful strategies, it will also act as a model for other regions, promoting the integration of insects into local economies. Considering that the insect industry is a relatively new field, it will need to be supported by both practical and theoretical training. What advantages will NAIC offer to the industry in this regard? Dr. Ben Gradus, NRGene Canada: The NAIC serves as a one-stop shop for the BSF industry, offering comprehensive knowledge, technology, genetics, and expertise on how to integrate it all effectively. By bringing all these resources together in one place, the NAIC will make it easier for newcomers to join the BSF revolution and navigate the complexities of this emerging industry. We know that Bühler has also had some very noteworthy projects and partnerships with other leading players in the insect industry such as Entocycle, Agronutris and Protix. Could you tell us a little bit about these partnerships, projects and their importance for the sustainability of the animal feed industry? Thierry Duvanel, Bühler: Bühler is the engineering and development partner for the insect processors and is not involved in the production operation. Protix in the Netherlands, Agronutris in France and Agroloop in Hungary are some examples of production sites where Bühler have supplied their technology and helped in the realization of the plants. The partnership with Entocycle is to join forces to provide operators with the technologies needed to ensure a steady supply of young larvae at an industrial scale. Although there are specialized breeding service companies in certain regions, in large parts of the world, there is no alternative to having an in-house breeding operation. With this partnership, Bühler and Entocycle address this challenge by offering scalable end-to-end solutions that significantly reduce the time to market for companies building an insect facility.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==