Early-stage biotech and foodtech startups rarely fail because their science doesn’t work. They struggle when unit economics, capital intensity, and scale assumptions are framed too late. In this article, I explain why I developed the ScaleUpReady™ framework — and how order-of-magnitude techno-economic analysis can transform industrial decision-making before millions are committed.

Running a bioprocess pilot trial  is one of the most expensive and time-intensive steps in scaling a fermentation or bioindustrial process. Pilot runs can take weeks or months to plan, yet the data generated during just a few days is used to inform critical scale-up, process design, and business decisions . Despite this, very few startups I work with are able to immediately share all the relevant data  from their pilot trial once it’s completed. In most cases, some key inform

Even after 20+ years in process development and industrial scale-up, techno-economic analyses continue to reveal unexpected constraints. This article explores the real-world surprises TEAs uncover — and why seeing them early can change how startups design, scale, and invest.

Most founders enter the Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA)  process thinking it’s “just a model that will tell me how much my product will cost.” In reality, TEA often becomes the first time a team sees their entire bioprocess and scale-up pathway  without the comfort of early-stage assumptions. And when that happens, three things emerge: hidden cost drivers unrealistic expectations scale-up realities that no one teaches in the lab or academia These aren’t criticisms. They are pa

Every founder scaling a biotech or foodtech process knows the feeling, lying awake at 2 a.m., running scenarios in their head: Where should we build? When will be the right time? And how big before it’s too big? Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA)  gives you a framework to answer all three, with data, not gut feeling or personal preferences. It translates technical progress into business logic, helping founders make decisions that investors trust. 1️⃣ WHERE — Site & Region Selecti

Scaling up a bioprocess from the laboratory to a pilot plant or from pilot to demo is one of the most exciting and risky stages for any startup. The leap from proof-of-concept to pilot or industrial production brings not only technical challenges but also financial uncertainty. That’s where Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA)  comes in. At Sustech Innovation , we help biotech, foodtech, and sustainable-materials companies translate their technical data into clear economic insigh

When scaling up a biotech or food-tech process, the big question isn’t just “is it feasible?” . It’s “will this process make sense...

(Hint: It’s not just about cost per kg, it’s about stepping back from R&D and seeing the full picture) I’ve heard this many times: “We...

I hear this a lot from founders:  👉 “Our plan is to use CMOs.”  👉 “We’ll license the tech anyway, so why bother with a facility TEA?”...

I hear this often. And every time, my brain freezes for a second. 🤯   Why? Because 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭...

Everyone talks about the “Valleys of Death” in biotech — but here’s one few mention: 🚨 Building your business case around the wrong...

INTRODUCTION Raising funds for a biotech, foodtech, or synbio startup is no longer just about storytelling; it's about evidence....

You’re not alone, and here’s why it doesn’t have to be that way. 👋 If you're an early-stage founder trying to understand your production...

In the journey from laboratory to commercial success, every decision counts. Yet many startups delay doing their TEA, assuming it’s only...

The FDA is phasing out Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, and other artificial dyes, by 2026....

One concise, 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 to help you decide if you're ready to invest in a Techno-Economic...

Why? Because it turns a "𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦" 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.  In every TEA I run, I model how unit cost drops as...

After nearly a decade of working with deep-tech and biotech startups, I’ve seen what separates those who scale successfully from those...

What We Expected vs. What We Discovered Automation is often seen as the golden ticket to efficiency, higher productivity, lower operating...

Recently, I've seen some companies offering AI-generated TEAs as a cheap and quick alternative to producing TEAs, but fast and cheap...