SynBioBeta Speaker

Verena Kallhoff

GHP

Sr. Dir, Global Life Sciences

Dr. Verena Kallhoff is the Senior Director of Global Life Sciences at the Greater Houston Partnership, where she leads strategic initiatives to grow and strengthen the region’s life sciences and biotechnology ecosystems. She works closely with local, state, national, and international stakeholders to support innovation, attract investment, and assist companies seeking to relocate or expand in the Greater Houston area.



Prior to joining the Partnership, Dr. Kallhoff served as Vice President of Omics and Precision Medicine at Equideum Health, a health tech startup. She also held multiple leadership roles at The University of Texas at Austin, including directing The WorkSpaces at Texas Health CoLab, the innovation hub at Dell Medical School. There, she worked with innovators and startups commercializing their technology and developed and led programs to foster regional innovation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic she became a co-founder of TEXGHS—the Texas Global Health Security Consortium. 

Dr. Kallhoff earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Human Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine and an MBA from the University of Houston–Clear Lake.

Sessions Featuring

Verena

This Year

Breakout Session

•

4:30 PM

-

5:15 PM

Biomanufacturing

The Road to Commercial Scale: Capital and Market Demands Beyond the Pilot Plant

Scaling bio-based products to commercial production requires balancing technical readiness with market and financial realities. This session examines the capital investments, regulatory planning, and supply chain strategies necessary to move beyond the pilot stage. Experts will share lessons on aligning production capacity with demand forecasts, managing operational risk, and structuring partnerships that unlock funding and market access. Attendees will gain practical insights into navigating investor expectations, scaling efficiently without compromising quality, and making strategic decisions that ensure products can succeed commercially while meeting evolving market needs and sustainability goals.

Featuring

Per Falholt

21st.BIO

CSO, Co-founder

Launched ~200 enzyme products, industrial biotech scale-up expert

Vanderlei Bellettini

ADM

VP Precision Ferm. Ops

Bioprocess scale-up veteran turning fermentation into real-world products

Richard Kenny

Hawkwood Biotech

Founder & Mng. Partner

Techno-economic analysis for the bioeconomy

Verena Kallhoff

GHP

Sr. Dir, Global Life Sciences

Riccardo LoCascio

Novonesis

Partnering - Precision Proteins

Cindy Groff-Vindman

CINBIO

Founder

Breakout Session

•

4:30 PM

-

5:15 PM

Biomanufacturing

The Road to Commercial Scale: Capital and Market Demands Beyond the Pilot Plant

Scaling bio-based products to commercial production requires balancing technical readiness with market and financial realities. This session examines the capital investments, regulatory planning, and supply chain strategies necessary to move beyond the pilot stage. Experts will share lessons on aligning production capacity with demand forecasts, managing operational risk, and structuring partnerships that unlock funding and market access. Attendees will gain practical insights into navigating investor expectations, scaling efficiently without compromising quality, and making strategic decisions that ensure products can succeed commercially while meeting evolving market needs and sustainability goals.

Featuring

Per Falholt

21st.BIO

CSO, Co-founder

Launched ~200 enzyme products, industrial biotech scale-up expert

Vanderlei Bellettini

ADM

VP Precision Ferm. Ops

Bioprocess scale-up veteran turning fermentation into real-world products

Richard Kenny

Hawkwood Biotech

Founder & Mng. Partner

Techno-economic analysis for the bioeconomy

Verena Kallhoff

GHP

Sr. Dir, Global Life Sciences

Riccardo LoCascio

Novonesis

Partnering - Precision Proteins

Cindy Groff-Vindman

CINBIO

Founder

Previous Speakers Include