DBT Engineering Biology Trade Mission to the Netherlands

09 - 11 June 2026

Are you ready to grow your business in Europe and connect with the partners who can help you scale?

The UK's Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is excited to announce this Engineering Biology Trade Mission to the Netherlands in June 2026, centred on Bio Innovations Europe.

Centred around Bio Innovations Europe in The Hague, this mission will provide UK engineering biology companies with the opportunity to connect with European partners, customers, investors, and wider ecosystem stakeholders, in one of world's most important markets for industrial biomanufacturing.

Through a combination of conference participation, networking and additional in-market activity, the mission is designed to help UK companies raise their profile, build commercial relationships, and explore new opportunities for growth in Europe.

We Need You! 

The UK Government defines engineering biology as the design, scaling and commercialisation of biology-derived products and services that can transform sectors or produce existing products more sustainably. It draws on the tools of synthetic biology to create the next wave of innovation in the bioeconomy. 

Are you an engineering biology company that has applications in the following areas of the engineering biology value chain? 

• Analytical tools, testing and process monitoring: technologies and services used to design, test, measure and optimise biology-derived systems and products, including tools for analysing cells, enzymes, metabolites, feedstocks and bioprocess performance across R&D, scale-up and manufacturing.

• Automation, robotics and digital lab / manufacturing systems: automated platforms and robotic systems that help engineer, screen, develop and scale biology-derived products more efficiently, including laboratory automation, high-throughput workflows, process control and industrial bioprocess automation.

• Bioinformatics, AI, data and digital tools: software, computational tools and AI-enabled solutions that support the design and optimisation of biology-derived products and services, including strain engineering, protein design, pathway modelling, process optimisation and biological data interpretation.

• Biological materials, reagents and feedstocks: the biological inputs, commodities and supporting materials used to develop and manufacture engineering biology solutions, including enzymes, microbes, cell lines, growth media, substrates and renewable or waste-derived feedstocks.

• Bioprocessing, scale-up and manufacturing technologies: the tools, equipment and services that enable biology-derived products to move from concept to commercial reality, including fermentation, bioreactors, downstream processing, purification, scale-up systems and production infrastructure.

• Chemicals, ingredients and industrial materials: biology-derived chemicals, functional ingredients and material inputs produced using engineering biology, including products made through fermentation, enzymatic conversion or engineered biological systems for use across multiple industries.

• Textiles, fibres, dyes, coatings and apparel materials: biology-derived alternatives for the fashion, footwear, textiles and sporting goods sectors, including engineered fibres, bio-based dyes, performance coatings, leather alternatives and other materials designed to improve sustainability and reduce fossil-based inputs.

• Beauty, personal care and home-care ingredients: ingredients and formulation inputs produced or enabled through engineering biology for use in cosmetics, skincare, haircare, detergents and household products, including bio-based actives, surfactants, fragrances, pigments and functional additives.

• Performance polymers, elastomers, resins, coatings and composites: advanced biology-derived materials designed for industrial performance applications, including polymers, binders, rubbers, resins, coatings and composite inputs that can replace or improve on conventional petrochemical materials.

• Industrial chemicals, solvents, surfactants and feedstocks: chemistry platforms and bio-based intermediates enabled by engineering biology that support more sustainable industrial production, including platform molecules, specialty chemicals, solvents, surfactants and alternative feedstocks for downstream manufacturing.

• Scale-up, piloting and commercial manufacturing services: specialist services that help engineering biology companies commercialise biology-derived products, including pilot production, demonstration facilities, contract manufacturing, process development and industrialisation support.

• Food, nutrition and fermentation-enabled ingredients: food and nutrition products created or improved through engineering biology, including ingredients, functional compounds and food inputs produced through fermentation, enzyme technology, microbial systems or other biology-based manufacturing routes.

• Cellular agriculture / alternative proteins, fats and dairy: biology-derived food solutions produced using cell-based or advanced fermentation approaches, including cultivated ingredients and alternatives to conventional animal-derived proteins, fats and dairy components.

Your company should be:

• UK headquartered.
• Active in one or more of these areas.
• Ready for commercial engagement, with realistic prospects of building partnerships and/or generating revenue in Europe.
• Export-ready (products/services suitable for overseas markets).

Why the Netherlands?

The Netherlands offers UK engineering biology companies access to a highly connected, European innovation ecosystem, strong industrial capability, and opportunities to engage with businesses and organisations working across biomanufacturing, chemicals, materials and wider bio-based value chains.

This mission is designed to help UK companies better understand the Dutch and wider European market, build relationships with relevant stakeholders, and position themselves for commercial growth in Europe.

Why Bio Innovations Europe?

Bio Innovations Europe is a leading European event focused on industrial biomanufacturing and commercial connections across the bioeconomy.

Taking place in The Hague on 10–11 June 2026, the event brings together companies, investors, corporates, suppliers, and ecosystem enablers, through a programme of pre-arranged 1-to-1 meetings, conference sessions, and networking.

It offers a strong platform for UK companies to meet potential partners, grow their networks, and explore opportunities to scale internationally.

What to expect?

The agenda is currently being finalised and will depend on the delegates recruited. The trade mission will take place over one week within the Netherlands. Activities may include:

• Pre-mission and in-market briefings.
• Pre-mission and in-market briefings.
• Full access to Bio Innovations Europe in The Hague, including access to conference networking and meeting opportunities.
• Curated networking with key Dutch stakeholders.
• Site visits within the Netherlands.
• Opportunities to showcase UK engineering biology strengths as part of the delegation.

What a DBT trade mission?

Relationship-building and market insight are critical to successful international growth.

DBT, working alongside colleagues and partners in market, will support participating companies through a focused programme designed to help them make valuable connections, understand the market landscape, and identify commercial opportunities.

Registration

No more than 9 places will be awarded, so please register your interest via the link below by 23:59 8 May 2026 (UK time). Final selection will be at the discretion of the DBT team. 

During the sign up process you will also get the opportunity to provide further details about your business and your commercial viability to support your registration. Please note, if selected for the mission we will ask companies to confirm attendance and travel arrangements by the required deadlines. If you fail to do so, you may be removed from the mission and another company given your spot.

Register

For all queries, please email contact the Department for Business and Trade at sasan.fouladipour@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

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